St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-13
dAPTER XXIII-Conulnue0
THE DUEL.

THE DUEL.
Without ceasing his smoking Albert
Howard read the letter carefully a second
ime, then handing it to Mike Regain, as if it
we're a matter of no great Importance, he
lsked
''What DO you think of that, Mike?'
Mike Regain glanced the letter over, work
ing his lips the while, and when he had fin
ished, he slapped his big hand on his knee
and said, with an oath:
Il didn't think the man would fight and
won't believe it until 1 see him on the field
But what are you going to do about it, old
fellow"
''Do? Why l shall follow out the rules of
the code. suppose you have no objection,
Mike, to acting as my second?'
s'Not the slightest" replied Mike Regain.
"Next thing to standing up with you as best
man in marriage ceremony, should esteem
it an honor and pleasure to act as your
second on this occasion. l have had some
thing to do with affairs of this kind, both in
Mexico and California, and, / think, know the
rules fairly well, but where 1 fail in this mat
ter, want no better authority than yourself.
You certainly should know all about it,
81 think l do, Mike. Let us go to my
room. ] will write the answer at once and
you must take it, as quickly as the fastest
horse in the stable will carry you to Buena
Vista"
> Albert Howard folded up the challenge
and, putting it in his pocket, with manner
that showed remarkable GOODNESS and self
possession, led the way to his own room.
From his large leather valise he took writing
materials, and as he dashed of the letter, he
read it aloud. 1t was as follows:
ssss. "GoMEz HOUSE, SAN BERNA1.
June 30, 1874.
p '"Coloael Edacasd Norton, B,tena Vista, Cal.
80 ''Sir-I have just received, at the hands of
Captain Almedo, your peremptory challenge
for an alleged affront offered you to-day, at
this hotel. AS hardly expected you to take
this course, I look upon it as something of
pleasant surprise.
sThis will be handed you by my friend, Mr.
Michael Regain, who will at once meet with
Captain Almedo to arrange the preliminaries.
''Under the code, l. as the challenged party
have the right to select weapons, and to
name the hour. Awaiting myself of this priv
ilege, | choose repeating rifles and name be-
tween half-past five and six this evening" as
the hour that will best suit me. 1t is your
privilege to select the place of meeting but
have no doubt that in order to facilitate
matters, you will choose ground that is within
easy reach.
''Hoping that this will prove satisfactory,
I have the honor to be
yours, etc.,
'tALBERT HOWARD.
sometimes known as Lord Pelham.r
I ssThat," said Mike, as he glanced the letter
over, sis what call perfect document.
There is 20 ambiguity in it; he will know ex-
actly what you mean, and SO could not crawl
out now, if he wanted to-
LET me say, Nike" said Howard, as he
addressed the envelope, ''that have pair
of repeating rifles, which are at Morton's
service; but if he has any pet weapon of his
own, shall offer no objection. The only
condition that insist OF will be that use
my own rifle. Do you understand"
:. Understand! ' repeated Mike Regan, as he
pushed the letter into his breast pocket, and
frightened the belt that held his pistols, 'swhy,
of course I understand. Everything is so
plain that a natural born idiot couldn't make
mistake. And. 1 say, old fellow, if this Al
medo is as impudent to me as he was to you
this morning, I think might add interest
to the occasion by getting up little side
show with him on my own account"
IL
and said:
s'One thing at a time, Mike. When get
through with Morton-or, it may be, when
Morton gets through with met will be time
enough for you to settle with Almedo; but
my own impression is that, despite the fell
lows buster and sWagger, he cannot be pre-
vailed on to toe the mark. Now, goodbye,
and, as they say down in Mexico, may all
the saints guard and prosper YOU"
The two men shook hands with a hearty
camaraderie, there being nothing in the
manner of either to indicate the terrible
nature of the business in which they were
engaged. Mike Regain hurried to the
stables, asked for the best horse, and five
minutes afterwards was testing the speed
of the animal, as he headed for Buena
Vista. s5a.
? Colonel Morton and DIR. Ellerton were
seated on rustic bench under a wide
spreading mountain oak, when Mike Regain
caught sight of them, and heading his
horse in that direction, he kept up his
speed, jerked the animal back on his
launches when in front of them, then, with
the bride over his left arm, and the letter
in his right hand, said:
"Gentiemen, ! represent Albert Howard
which of you is Colonel Morton?" md he
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