The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-09

the other principal and his seconds we're await
ing them. And here he ,awokel- clear-eyed,
so stimulated we're his faculties that his sense
Of hearing IN ITS acutehess took in every word OF
PAGES distant. lie heard bis sdversary's second
say carelessly TO the deputy sheriff, Il presume
this is a case where there will he no apology or
mediation" and the deputy's reply, "freckon
my man means business. but he seems a little
queer, lie heard the other second laugh and
first time out" followed by the more anxious
aside Of, the other second as the deputy turned
sense of sight was also so acute that having lost
the choice OF position when the coin was tossed,
even through its glare he, saw, with I'M
erring distinctness of outline the black
range. saw the perfect outline OF his features.
and how the easy, supercilious smile as he threw
nway his cigar appeared to drop out OF his face
with a Kind OF yocant awe nshe faced him. lie
felt his nerves become as steel ~ the counting
fred b;y the recoiI OF the pistol in his IsycihIeedd
hand simultaneously with its utterance., And
at the same moment, still standing like a
his legs grotcsquely Curying inward under him
without even The dignity Of death, in his fail.
ground. still erect, and lowering only the muz-
le % his pistol, as a thin feather o. smoke
and secotids run quickly to the henp, try to lift
its limp impotence into shape, end let II drop
again with the words, " RigLH through the fore
You've done for. him. said the deputy turn
ing 10 Clarence with u singular lODk OF CurlUSltY,
and I reckon you'd better get ont OF this mighty
quickl They didn't expect it-they'rc just rag
in, they may round on. you-and," he added
more slowly. they seem to have Just found out
Even while he was speaking. Clarence with
mHami!iHtoTnS Brant's pup" just ike Ris father"
from the group around the dead man. lie did
not hesitate. but walked coolly toward, them.
Yet n certain fierce p~ride-which he had never
known, before stirred in his veins. as their
voices hnshed and they half recoiled before him.
Am ! to understand from my second. gentle
men" hs said; lookIng around the group, that
Tho fight was square enough. said Pinck-
ney's second, IN some embarrassment, but |
reckon that he",-pointine TO. the dead man
did not know who YOU were Z"
DO YOU mean that he did not know that |
was the sou OF II man proficient In the use OF
II reckon that's about IT," returned the
second. g~lancing at the others.
am glad to say, s.r. that ! have a better
opinion Ui his courage" said Clarence. lifting
his hat to the dead body, as lie turned away.
or even pity in his act. Perhaps this was visible
In his face. for the group appeared awcd by this
returned his formal parting saiuiaiion with a
vague and timid respect. He thanked the dep
uty; rcgained the hotel, saddled his horse, and
But not toward the rancho. Now that he
could think Of his future. that had no place in
forgotten in the new and strange conception of
himself and his irresponsiblllty which had come
words Of his second. il Was his dead father who 4
Ind stiifcned his arm and directed the fatal
had brought about, this completing climax
Count CO. aS for ,FO0 It that n1" he e''e 0S Sonscis ms %s.
peaceful. sensitive man. tender and for
giving as ne had believed himself to be; could
eliminating actr He had read OF successful
duellists who were haunted by renorse for their
FIRST victim; who retained a terrible conscious
ness Of the appearance OF the dead man; he had
no such feeling; he had only a grim content
tempt for the. limp and helpless body. lie sud.
denly recalled the callousness as a boy. when
massacre. his sense OF fastidlous supercilious-
ness In the discovery Of tho body Of Snsy,,s
father influencing him ever thus. What had he
TO do with affection. with domestic happiness.
with the ordinary ambitions OF mans lie. whose
blood was frozen at the sourcel Yet even with
this very thought came once more the old incon-
sistent tenderness he had as n boy lavished upon
had forsaken his childish companio 1ship, and
remembered him only by secret gifts. He re-
while the pious padres at San Jose were en-
deayoring to eliminate this terrible poison from
his conflicts with his schooltellows. And It was
q part Of this inconsistency, that, riding away
were dimmed with moisture, not for the victim,
but for the one being whom he believed had I'M
This, and more wasin his mind during his long
ride TO Fair Plains, his journey by coach to Em-
haseadero. his midnigh! passage across the dark
Francisco.but what should be his future was
still unsettled. |
As he wound around the crest OF Russian Hill
and looked down again upon the awakened city,
he was startled to see that 1t was futterlng and
streaming with bunting! From every public
building and hotel, from the roofs OF private
houses. and even the windows OF lonely dwell
ings, tapped and waved the striped and starry
banner. The steady breath OF the sea carried II
out from masts and yards OF ships at their
wharves-from the bettlements OF the forts ut
Alcatraz and Yerba Buena. He remembered
that the ferrymen had told him that news from
Fort Sumter had swept the city with a revulslon
OF patriotic sentiment. and that there was no
doubt that the State was saved to the Union. |
He look ed down upon IL with haggard and he
wildered eyes-and then a strange gasp and full
ness of the throat! For afar a solitary bugle
had blown-the reveille" at Fort Alcatraz!