Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-12-14

I
either he or must leave this table"
In the painful silence that succeeded
this startling speech, all eyes wcra
/ fixed on Castcx. lie rose from his seat,
/ cool and smiling
ut plcn.cs me very much to retire"
/ he said. "Witncss Il, mcssieursl--yon-
| der gentleman drives me from his table
and his house"
lie bowed, and Immediately left the
room. Alphonsc Iasnet squirncd in
| his chair, and at last blurted out.
'BostoclS, my dear fellow excuse
mo but you sec ! can't remain. This
is a wrctched business; hope Il will
end here. But / brought my friend
here, and OF course ! must go with
him"
And he did. The soup grew cold
and was removed untasted: course after
course OF the choicest dishes succeeded
and were hardly touched. Everybody
was under n dreadful constraint; occa-
sionally there was solitary remark,
but the effort 10 keep up converse
ton was a fiat failure. have said so
much, that ought 10 tell the whole
truth. When the wine appeared, the
guests turned TO IL as relief from the
awlswardncss Of the situation. pre-.
sumo every body drank too much; am
certain that did. ! will except Bos-
took. lie sat pale, rigid and silent
through IL all. The guests departed
carly with hardly an effort 10 make
the usual compliments to the host
The next morning was hardly out
Of bed when Pierce Iiostocls walked In.
lie looked rs stern and white as when
he was dcnouncing Castex at his own
table.
"Wcll, he's challenged you" was my
salutation.
mo. shall challenge him. Here's
the note. Take IL TO him, and then
go to the man that he names as his
friend"
! was thundcrstruck. tried to re-
monstratc with him. told him that,
80 far rs an outsider could Judge, II
anybody had cause TO send n challenge,
it was CastcX. begged him to tell
me, in the strict confidence of friend
ship, what the language was that
CastcX had uttered to HIM. | told him
that could not act intclligcntly for
him In this matter, unless | was adj
viscd. lie pcrcmptorily refused TO tell
me.
You have been my friend, Dorion,'
he said. "Whcn say TO you that no
human being must know my cause Of
oifcnsc, you will believe that there is
the best Of reason for my silence. M
pplcon CastcN knows, no man better
knows, the nature of his oifcnsc. lie
knows me, also; and he understands
that IL lac were 10 lisp hint Of my
reasons for challenging him, would
fccit him and shoot him down like
dog! Don't argue with me, Alfred
Doripn; | tell you the man Is n cold
blouded scoundrcl; he has sought me
out to force u quarrel upon me, and
there are the best Of reasons why the
affair must go on"
There was nothing for me to do but
10 deliver the challenge. ! found Cas-
tex cool, polite and conscnting
There Is not one of my name" he
.uil, with his married. French accent,
who ever refused the request of
gentleman to meet him on the field Of
honor. NJ. Bostock thinks him
self insultcd. Some might think that
was. No matter; here Is his chal-
lcngc. Take it to my dear Alphonsc;
he viii arrange everything with you.
! only say TO you, that my remark to
VI. 'ostucli was the truth. lie knows
II To hc the truth; and he has not the
grace to see that | put IL in the Ian
rungc Of In belle France, that others
might not under. tand It. So much you
may tell him, IL you choose"
Tho nhair went ON to its frightful
end Nobody could discover the truth.
lusnct tried his best TO make his man
diyulge the cause Of offense, but in
vain.
81 only told him the truth, and told
II in French, that IL might not he
heard by others. After have fought
him, win tell it very loudly, in your
harsh English, do you bc sure. Mean
while, am quite willing TO fight him.
! knew him long before you did"
The wound that Pierce Bostock re-
ccivod was as nearly fatal rs n wound
can be and leave the victim alive. The
ball traverscd his lung; nothing but
the extraordinary skill of the doctor
saved him. The doctor had served in
the McYicnn war, and happened to wit
ness the successful operation of
Mexican surgeon upon similar wound
of Gen. Shields, by cleansing II with a
silk handkerchief, In this way Bos-
tdclS's life was saved; but the fever that
H. 1T. L -
weeks, drained his strength, and left
him only the shadow Of his former self
His affection for his daughter sccincd
doubled, II that were possible, by this
dreadful experience. In every waking
hour he wanted her with him. In his
dolirium he would call her name; when
conscious, he would hold her hand and
look silently into her face MS she sat by
his bed
used often TO call upon him while
he was confined to the house. One Ray
he sent Coralie ont Of the room and
asked me to shut the door,
you are still my friend, Alfred
porion-are you note" he abruptly be-
lgun.
"'ro be sure am. While am dread
fully distressed 10y what has hap.
pencd-"
mo matter about that. | want you
to tell me something What hap
pencd after got that mans bullet? |
think my senses were wandering.
What did | say?'
| told him. | repeated his express
sions-thnt he regretted that he had