Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-09-12

thunder clouds hanging above me. Will it?
Tell me that"
In his momentary earnestness he had
leaned forward across the table and fixed
his erstwhile careless eyes upon his friend.
The friend startled, looked at him grayely
for moment, and then laughed.
Come, my Joe, your cynic nature is
souring you You want some true little
womans bright eyes to lead you to better
things-to teach
"Tell me where should find herp' ex-
claimed the other bitterly, rising and
pushing aside his chair and moving toward
the open window "Tell me where under
seek her and own my philosophy a blum
der"
"Such women as you would want are
rare" said Bernard slowly. "Such one
as my Stephanie now-where could you
flnd''-
"No, no, said the other hurriedly. "Not
such as that woman, your wife. Never
that"
Maxwell Bernard had risen quickly, and
his face was white as he faced Chesney.
The room was empty save for themselves
and the whole place seemed very silent.
Only the muffled roar of the traffic lioated
up to them, and the little French clock on
the mantelshelf seemed to be ticking at
an awful rate.
care you mad, Chesney, or have you
been drinking2' said Bernard coldly.
Something has overweight or troubled
you"
Something has troubled me, Max, and
the time has come for me to speak, said
| the other in a low voice, with all the old
INDECENT drawl gone from his tones. II
have brought you here tonight for that
| purpose alone, Max" He stretched out
his hands appealingly and then dropped
them heavily at his sides again. dear
old school ohum, l implore you, by the
memory Of the old days when we were in
nocent and light hearted boys together to
hear me. Believe only that could not lie
I to you. II love you too well for that
But if did not tell you others might do
so-others from whose lips the words
would be an insult. Max but that your
happiness-God in heaven knows have
never spoken of this thing-but that your
happiness, l say, is more to me than my
own, thousand times, would not have
spoken now. But your wife,
"Silence!' broke in the other hotly
"Leave her pure name alone man."
IT cannot. Max, you have been blind
and deaf. All this fair pretense o God,
will you not see what is apparent to alp
She-and Calvert He paused, half OK
pecting another fiery outburst, but Ber-
nard stood quite still, watching him.
"Have you not seen them together? Have
you not heard9 All, Max, is it not hard
enough that l should have to tell you
this?''
II want no excuses. You have always
thought lightly of women. You have
dared to add her name to the list. You
coward!'
Coward yourself!' cried the other
wildly. "In pure friendship 1 have come
to you this night in the memory of the old
days. when no fair, false woman stood be-
tween us-and''-
In all instant Demands fingers were at
his throat, and his hot breath famed his
cheek But Joe Chesney was the stronger
man of the two and shook the other off
after short struggle and stood there, with
something of his own calmness regained,
looking at Bernard, who had staggered
back against the table.
"You houndn' cried Maxwell fiercely.
"You come here, presuming OH your old
friendship to breathe your false calumnies
against pure woman, to dare to speak
words"-
"Say no more" said Joe quietly, raising
his hand. 'The time is past for explana-
ton. What do you wantS"
"You know what want. No man
shall say such words of her; no man shall
breathe her name lightly, not even my
friend, /" he added sneeringly. "My friend
Friend no more! Will you meet meS"
Joe Chcsney started and glanced quick
ly at the flushed face of the other man
then he bowed his head and assented.
So it came about that they met in a
meadow overlooking little sleepy Bel
gian town one early spring morning, with
all the fair sunlight about them, and all
the air full Of the songs Of birds. There
the friends faced each other for the last
time. The words were sharply spoken, and
| the double report rang out. Joe Chesney,
with last steadfast look at his friend,
raised his pistol and fired in the air. Max
well Bernard with white set face, fired
point blank at the man who faced him.
Poor Chesney turned almost round once,
and then fell forward on his face. AS the
seconds rushed toward him they were
startled by the sounds of shouts and the
plunging of horses; then there was crash,
and the shouting sounded again. 1t came
| from the roadway on the other side of the
thick hedge that bounded the field. One
man ran up where Chesney was lying and
! turned him over, then came running back
| vvif cI,I,1 ho
| quite dead, he said.
Perhaps fear Of discovery led them to-
ward the road. One man even suggested
it, as no good could be done by waiting
there, they could only get away. They
scrambled through gap in the hedge one
by one hurriedly and came upon an over
turned carriage with two horses near at
| hand held by the driver. Near the carriage
| stood two people, a man and woman.
The driver stolidly said that the lady and
gentleman were English and were hurry
| ing to another station by cross route in
| the hope to meet the express. He was gar
rulous and said that some firing had fright
ened his horses and that they had bolted
up the steep bank at the side Of the road.
Bernard was the last to scramble through
the gap, and the lady and gentleman had
their backs to him as he jumped down
into the road. Then, all in flash, he
heard the voice of one of the seconds,
speaking in tone of surprise and address
ing the gentleman ay"Calvert. At the
same instant the woman turned quickly,
and saw him, and put her hands to her
face with frightened scream, and stag
gered backward.
| And the woman was Maxwell Bernard 8