The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-03
former duels having come

-
chevalicr having fred first and missed,
De Villeneuve called out to him: Look
to the second but.onhole of your coatr'
and sent bullet through the spot in
dicated into the breast of his opponent,
who expired half an hour later in great
agony. His mother is said to be broken
hearted at his death. How much long
err, we wonder, will this savage be al
lowed to offer these human sacrifices to
his own inordinate vanity?"'
Just then happened to look up and
saw the Quiet Man rise slo WHY from the
chair with face SO changed that it
startled me almost as much as if had
seen him disappear bodily, and another
man rise up in his stead had once
seen an-oil painting abroad in which
an avenging angel was hurting light
nings upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and
that is just how that man looked at
that moment. He glanced at his watch
and then came across the room and
went quickly out.
THE next night, and the next, and
the next after that, the Quiet Man
didn't appear at the club. and we all
began to wonder what could have be-
come of him. But when l came in on
the fourth evening there he was,
though he looked-as it seemed to mo
rather paler and feebler than usual
"'Here's news for you. Fred called
out Charlie Thornton. That rascally
French duelist, De Villeneuve. has met
his match at last; and DR.. Lansett, of
the til Bengal native infantry, who
saw the whole affair. is just going to
tell us all about it
"'Well, this is how it happened, be-
gan the doctor. In passing through
Paris stopped to visit my old friend,
Col De Malet, and he and were stroll
ing through the Tuileries gardens
when suddenly a murmur ran through
the crowd: Here comes De Whenever
Then the throng parted, and had just
time to catch a glimpse of the bully's
tall figure and long black mustache
when a man stepped forth from the
crowd and said something to him. and
then suddenly dealt him blow.
"'Then there was rush and clamor
of voices and everybody came crowding
round so that couldn't see anything;
but presently De Malet came up to me
and said: "Lansett, we shall want you
in this affair, although I'm afraid that
you won't have a chance of showing
your surgery, for De Villeneuve never
wounds withoutfkilling.
"Just then the crowd opened and I
saw, to my amazement, that this man
who had insulted and defied the most
terrible fighter in all France was a
slim little fellow, with pale. meager
face.
"'"As am the challenged party, I
have the right to choose weapons" we
heard him say. quite coolly. land
choose swords"
"'"Are you mad!' cried De Malet
selling his arm; don't you know De
Vnleneuve's the deadIiest swordsman
in Europe? Choose pistols-give your
self a chance!'
60 pistols may miss-swords can't"
answered the stranger in tone of
such savage determination that every
one who heard him-even De Villeneuve
himself, furious though he was-gave a
kind of shudder. Il had vowed never
to fight again, save with man who de-
served to die; but you have deserved it
well by your cold-blooded murders, and
die you shallr'
"'Where both sides were 50 eager to
fight. there was no need of much prep
aration. They met that evening, Col
de Malet being the strangers second,
De Villeneuve.
LAS rule, De Villeneuve was As
cool on the ground as if he had been at
a picnic, but at this time he was as
wild and fierce as tiger, partly, no
doubt. from having been insulted be-
fore so many of his admirers, but also
because he had found out that the
stranger was an Englishman. and he
hated everything English like poison.
But more terrible than all his fury was
the cold, stern. pitiless calmness of the
Englishman's face, as if he felt certain
of his man.
They fought for some time without
a scratch on either side, and then sud-
denly the Englishman stumbled for
ward. exposing his left side. Quick as
lightning the Frenchman's point
darted in, and instantly the others
shirt was all crimson with blood, but
the moment he felt the steel pierce
him he made a thrust with all his
might. and buried his sword up to the
hilt in De Villeneuve's body. Then
understood that he had deliberately
laid himself open to his opponents
weapon in order to make sure of killing
him; so he had, for DE Villeneuve never
spoke again
Just as the doctor said this, down
fell chair with a great crash, and
looking up we saw the Quiet Man try
Ing to slip past us to the door, DR..
Lansett sprang up and caught him by
both hands.
You here?' he cried. Let me con.
graduate you upon having punished, as
he deserved, the most cold-hear cut
throat in existence. l trust your
wound does not pain you much?'
What? we all shouted, was it he
who killed De Villeneuve%
Indeed it was answered the doc
tor, and it was the plucl1iest thing /
ever saw
I'VE all jumped from our chairs and
came crowding around the hero. setting
up cheer that made the air ring, but
he looked at US so sadly and darkly that
1t made the shout die upon our lips.
All, lads! ladsr said he. in a tone
of deep detection, for heavens sake
don't praise man for having shed