Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-10-12
UNDER THE CODE.

| became acquainted with fellow student
of the name of Jules Langheim. From the
very first we were fast friends.
Langheim was worthy of the friendship |
gave him-noble, open, candid, high spirited
and generous to fault. As natural CON
sequence, our intimacy soon became such
that each made a confdant of the other
Oneevening, on returning from the opera,
whittier I had gone alone, | found him
walking slowly up and down the room,
looking very pale and evidently more dis
turbed in mind than he wished to have ap-
pear.
MY friend, what is the matter?" was my
first eager question.
II fear 1 have some unpleasant news for
YOU" he said, throwing himself into large
armchair.
Speak, Jules" cried. "What is it?"
'-Over the card table tonight I had an al
tercation with Adolph .Bergner."
"Well?"
"His friend has called upon me since, and
have referred him to you. did not know
what hour you would return, but requested
him to drop in at 1880"
"Can the matter not be settled by mu-
tual friends?" asked.
II fear not. He accused me of cheating,
and called him liar Until his charge is
withdrawn, mine must hold good"
'But, my dear friend, you must not
fight" l persisted. "Think how much
more you stake than he. He is u mere adj
II II, II,
high hopes, which will be blasted by this
one act, even should you escape with life.
You know our college regulations will ex-
pei you, and the criminal law will have
you at its mercyn
Still, what am to do? If decline to
fight, shall be branded as coward"
1T is a hard case,' groancd. Either
horn of the dilemma is bad enough, heaven
knows, but still, let the result be what it
will l must insist that you do not give
your adversary meeting. You must sum-
mon up all your moral courage and refuse
to go out"
Jules Langheim started up, and with
pale cheeks, knitted brows and clenched
hands rapidly paced up and down the room
some eight or ten times. Then hastily seat
ing himself at his writing desk he seized a
pen, dashed off a few lines and folded,
sealed and superscribed the note.
"There, Fred, you have your wish
granted to you only of all men on earth. l
shall not be disgraced by duel-there will
be no hostile meeting between Bergner and
myself. When his friend calls, give him
that note as your answer, and with that
your part in the affair will cease"
He turned away, and at the same mo-
ment there came tap at the door.
sit is Sweitzcn, Bergner's friend" he
said. II will 60 out"
With soweitzen my business soon ended.
/ handed him the note for Bergner, and
told him the decision of Langheim would
he found in that. He replied that such a
proceeding was irregular. l rejoined that
| believed had nothing further to say or
do in the matter, and the interview alb
ruptly closed.
After Sweitzen had gone l anxiously
looked for the return of my friend. One,
two, three hours passed, and still he did
not come. remained up all night, but he
did not return.
l took long walk through the city to
CUOl lily lCSCtSl pAGiu Ndo
to my room an hour or so later when some
one hurried up behind and tapped me on
the shoulder l turned and confronted u
stranger in the plain garb of a peasant.
beg your pardon" he said, 'but might
you he student in the college yons"
"Yes."
"Perhaps you might tell me, then, how
quickest I can find q gentleman named
Frederick Delorme?"
ut is my name" exclaimed.
tits curious" returned the countryman,
beginning to unbutton his coat, ''that l
should have run upon the very gentleman
wanted. Well, at daylight this morning,
Just as was coming out of my house. u
gentleman rode up on painting horse and
handing me letter and 10 thalers made
me swear to deliver it before night, and
here be-"
siezed the letter, tore it open and read
the following with feelings better imagined
than described:
Oct. II, o'clock a. m.
MY DEAR FRIEND-Forgive me for paining
your noble heart, for, having once concealed
from you my real design in declining to fight
my adversary, l felt that honor demanded
from mo proposition requiring at least as
great a risk of life, if not of reputation. You
remember you said you would permit the risk
OF life, providing character were not involved.
acted on this and wrote Bergner would not
fight him, but would decide by lot which Of the
two should put an end to his own existence.
followed his friend to his lodgings, and we
speedily agreed to the terms We drew lots,
and 1t was my misfortune to be doomed. Ac-
cording to the compact, am to die today be-
fore sunset in the little village of Neuf, 30
miles from the capital You will probably find
my body at the only inn the place contains.
Your dying friend, JULES LANGHEIM.
On reading this was so shocked that for
some minutes l could not act. My brain
swan, and the letters before me seemed to
take the color of blood reused myself at
length with the hope of being yet in time
to save my friend and darted off like mad
man, leaving the countryman staring after
me. hurried to the proper authorities
and got permission to use the government
post horses. In h few minutes more was
on the road to Neuf, the position urging
the beasts forward at the extreme speed al
lowed by law.
Fatal miscalculationl In my terrible
anxiety to reach Neuf before my friend
should put an end to himself, overlooked
the fact that, if living, my arrival in such
a public manner would attract his atten-
ton and hasten him to the commission Of
the deed, since it was nos his design or de-
sire to have 1t prevented,
On reaching the inn, with laundering
chatter that drew the whole village out to
look at us, / leaped to the ground, seized
the astonished landlord and demanded to
know if there was stranger from Berlin
under his roof.
"Yesr' he answered quickly, catching
some of my excitement, "a handsome
young mana thief or robber, maybe
or''-
"Quick, quick" I interrupted, "show me
to his room!' @
We rushed away together. l cspied an
ak and seized it as Ipassed. On arriving
at the room door and finding it fast
shouted
Jules. for the love of God do nothing