Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-07-26

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 gravely
for moment, and then laughed.
Come, my Joe, your cynic nature is
souring you You want some true little
woman's bright eyes to lead you to better
thiRgs-to teach''-
"Tell me where should find herI" ex.
claimed the other bitterly, rising and
pushing aside his chair and moving toward
the open window. "Tell me where under
these stars, she dwells tonight, and l will
seek her and own my philosophy blum
der"
"Such women as you would want are
rare" said Bernard slowly. "Such one
rs 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.
Tho room was empty save for themselves,
and the whole place seemed very silent.
Only the muffled roar of the traffic floated
| up W IlCIIl, anu blIG llIllf II GlOCh vi
the mantelshelf seemed to be ticking at
an awful rate.
"Are you mad, Chesney, or have you
been drinking?" said Bernard coldly.
Something has overweight or troubled
| you"
Something has troubled me, Max, and
the time has come for me to speak, O." said
the other in low voice, with all the old
INDECENT drawl gone from his tones. ~
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 l could not lie
to you. Ii love you too well for that.
But if 1 did not tell you others might do
so-others from whose lips the words
would be an insult. Max, but that your
happinoss-God in heaven knows 1 have
never spoken of this thing-but that your
happiness, l say, is more to me than my
own, u thousand times, / would not have
spoken now. But your wife,
"SilcnCc" broke in the other hotly.
"Lcave her pure name alone, man."
81 cannot. Max, you have been blind
and deaf. All this fair pretense. o God,
will you not sec what is apparent to all?
Shc-and Calvert He paused, half eX-
pecting another fiery outburst, but Ber-
nard stood quite still, watching him.
"IIave you not seen them together? Have
you not heard? All. Max, is it not hard
enough that l should have to tell you
this?"
81 want no excuses. You have always
thought lightly of women. You have
dared to add her name to the list. You
coward"
Coward yoursclf!" cried the other
wildly. "In pure friendship have come
to you this night in the memory of the old
days when no fair, false woman stood be-
tween us-and"-
In an instant Demands fingers were at
his throat, and his hot breath famed his
cheek. But Joe Chesncy was the stronger
man of the two and shook the other off
after Il short struggle and stood there, with
something of his own calmncss regaincd,
looking ut Bernard who had staggered
back against the table.
"You houndw cried Maxwell fercely.
"You como here, prcsumiEg on your old
friendship to breathe your false calumnics
against pure woman, to dare to speak
Words
"Say no more" said Joe quietly, raising
his hand. "Tho time is past for cxplana-
ton. What do you WANT"
You know what l want. No man
shall say such words of her; no man shall
breathe her name lightly, not even my
friend, " he added snccringly. My friend!
Friend no more! Will you mset mc?'
Joe Chcsney started and glanced quick
ly at the flushed face Of the other man;
then he bowed his head and asscnteG.
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
tho double report rang out. Joe Chcsney,
with a last steadfast look at his friend,
raised his pistol and fired in the air. Max
well Bernard, with II white, set face, fired
point blank at the man who faced him.
Poor ChcGnCy 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 u 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 Chcsncy was lying and
turned him over then came running back
with n subdued face. The gentleman was
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 a gap in the hedge ono
by one hurricdly and came upon an over
turned carriage, with two horses near at
hand held by the driver. Near the carriage
stood two people, u man and IA 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 Weet 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 a flash, he
heard the voice of one of the seconds,
speaking in a tone of surprise and address,
ing the gentleman as Calvert" At the