Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-01-03
a Duel in the DARK.

the story as 1t was told by Miss Pep
per, the fine nee1le-worker. at tbs
woman's boarding house. you see
my dears," said Miss Pepper, who
was like sweet, faded ola rose in
the group of eager young women about
her, 1.-The trouble with Jack Brice was
this He was heels over head in love
with my cousin, Margery Lee, but h
was too poor to marry.
Gle lived with his uncle, Ten Brice
of the Mansion house-old SPUR
Brice. as all the county called him
though he wasn't more than 50-an
ing Margery her father favored tn
squire's suit most. But Margery fay
ored Jacks and showed it openly.
"a man may be as rich as Croesus
but when he's choleric and up IN year
none too good, in the bargiin--ha
needn't expect to make much Roadway
with love-sick girl of 20. Long
legged Jacks good looks outweighed
the squire's gold, but when the father
found out which way the wind was
blowing he forbade Marcy to see him
again. She said nothing, for she was
not girl to talk. But every night she
wrote him long letter, that she would
hide in a hollow tree-stump and Jack
would come and take it away.
| Sometimes, too, in the early morn
Ing, hardly daylight, she would jump
on her bay mare Hornet and dash two
miles down the river to the ford, where
Jack would be waiting, and would
swim his horse over from the other
side, just to have five minutes talk
| with her.
"Ah, but they were in love, / can
tell you! And I never say a better
matched pair-both so good looking
both so full Of life!
! whether my uncle ever heard of
their goings on l don't know; but he
stopped talking against Jack and urg
ing the squires suit. He only told us
I Marcy and me both, for l lived with
them, that old Tom had him in his
power and could ruin him. and now
that she wouldn't marry him he was
going to take his revenge.
"'rhen he fell sick and seemed likely
to die, and my poor cousin was in q
terrible quandary.
"She loved Jack, but she loved her
father, too; and she felt it was worry
that was killing him.
| zone terrible night, when we were
almost expecting my uncle to breathe
his last, Marcy fell on her knees and
promised she'd marry the squire, and
he at once began to get better with
astonishing quickness.
'She wrote Jack one letter, one curt
cold letter, that she sat two days over
and that he tore in half and sent back
to her and then left the county.
'.This left the field of love open to
the squire, and he made the most o
it, coming every afternoon to our
place, spruced up like a young man,
in a light black suit and with his hair
combed over his bald spot.
"He would send Marcy splendid
presents, too. And sometimes love
liter a fine proper love letter, calling
ler a red rose with the dew on 1t, a
black eyed gypsy or some such pretti
ness, all of which you may be sure
though, only / ever read.
Meanwhile the wedding arrange
ments were going on with wicke !
hurry. My uncle seemed like one
possessed to have it over with. And
Marcy, numb with misery and worn
to a shadow with longing for Jack
said nothing. Perhaps she was afraid
If too long put off she would lose cour.
age for the sacrifice; perhaps she was
all the time hoping and praying-as
women can pray sometimes-for the
very daring thing that did happen.
"That night, | remember, 1t stormed
The wind howled, and all along the
country road the big oaks swung their
arms and creaked as IL ready to fall
on orr rumbling old carriage.
st was Thanksgiving night, festi
val not in favor in the south in those
; days. and we were going to the Man
sion house to family dinner. The
! wedding was only three days off now
and the squire had taken a fancy to
keep 1t in honor of his coming happi
ness
when we rolled up to the open door
: way. there he was, magnificent in a
rosebud satin waistcoat and with a
! flower in his buttonhole, for all the
world like bedecked old turkey cock
Welcome to the Mansion house he
said. gayly. as bundled up the stairs
} first
"And then to Marcy, though quite
loud enough for me to hear. In three
short days!'- Of course, tn
marriage that was to leave her in hi
home forever
"She WINGED as II he had struck her
her face as white as her muslin frock
and I verify believe that IL he hadn't
walked her into the dining-room sha
: would have fallen.
what sort Of a dinner did they