The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-05-09
WAS HE a COWARD?

After dinner It the Hotel Metropole W.
retired 70 I coy corner Of the smoking
room, my newly made acquaintance and ~
ITO resume the subject we were dis
cussing at the table, !" he began. let. me
give you an instance that caine across my
. notice some years ago M
n st wasn't the first affair of honor that;
I had had to do with In one way or an
other, but not svcn tho first unnerved me
like this did. .5.f VI \, II 81 Vi 4.
my friend, Paul Graham, WINS young
lawyer. We had played together In infan-
cy, and we were chums at college. We
spent our vacations together shooting and
fishing. Mi
lE More than once had heard him de-.
clare that in his opinion ,dueling was
morally and socially wrong. Once Iasked
him: -. ~, ~ s4s3
Would you refuse Q challenger
:" Il shall never send one, he answered.
and it would be cowardioe in me to ac-
oept one. T.. r. %,% y,
".But'-.4- s.. s,ss... -NlL%, 51y
"tIh ayo not answered the question,
you are about to object. cannot answer
It In a word. II I ever accept a challenge,
IL win be for the simple reason that am
afraid of what people would think and
cay -, r. ~- s ..s,
Il st'Au this remembered when the affair
with William Cuthbert came up. Graham
sent for me. I knew he would There
was little TO say except that Cuthhert.s
friend, Milan, had called upon him tGra-
ham) that afternoon. tS
"*There is only one thing for me to do.
/ VIII you carry my answerf' no said.
t :" It did look cold blooded. THIS man
was-wcll, he was sacrificing himself.
Cuthbert was o crack shot iand had killed
bis man. Graham was q n,iserably poor
shot and a novice. ~~i@
r. s".WNlyou carry my answer
"sOn condition that you consent to
my arrangements as to the distance, and
that you promise me upon your honor Us
. gentleman to shoot to kill ..&~&>
-" DO as you please ..s
j" Good. Well, thank Commodore De-
oatur for the suggestion and make the
most of it. And promise me that you will
kill him. if you cam - r..
He shook his head. IL.
"'You know what I believe. I shall
not try to hit him in any event. II /
killed him, it would be murder .
idiot! And what would 1t bo II he
killed your -.
>"'Murder.' ,*~-::&
''Of course refused to have anything
to do with the matter. In fact, came
near going to Cuthbert to explain the sit
uation fully, in gross violation Of conf
denoe. didn't know what to do, and
finally did nothing but lose some sleep
over it. even refused to go as surgeon,
but consented reluctantly when Graham
insisted.
His second was an ass named Morrow
"a consulnmate asst! He agreed to ten
PAGES, when he might have known that
Cuthbert's being Disconnected - as the
British officer was by :Decatur's arrange
ment, in behalf of the midshipman, by
bringing the principals together-was
Graham's only chance. .-... ..sI:..
!, "For many reasons, then, was low
spirited that morning. Our ride was as
solemn as a funeral procession.
'Cuthbert and bis friends had just
reached the grounds when we arrived.
No time was lost In making ready.
Graham 'ssecond lost the toss for position,
/ Of course. Even yet the thought Of that
but my opinion Of Morrow, beyond ques-
! ton the most addle pated Of imbeoiles, is
toss. That much is relevant. / never lost
the toss in my life Neverl 49, r.
''One-two'- #;:[5,s4. ri. x. 3D.
"Then very irregular and somewhat
dramatic thing happened. Graham raised
his left hand, meaning that halt must
be made for some reason. Was It, could it
be cowardice! Was he afraid to be shot
att In an instant knew better, because
knew him SO we'll, but the others didn't.
- 'Jim,' he said, without moving from
his tracks, come here a second.
-"Cuthbert and Milan bowed their con-
sent. ..
II went to Graham's side. In q per-
fectly steady voice he asked for piece Of
paper. As tore page from q small note
book he put his pistol carefully under his
left arm and drew q pencil from his peck
et He scribbled few words and then
folded the paper.
"'Keep that he said to me.
IT drew aside, thinking less about this
singular interruption than about Ora
hams manner. There was absolutely no
trace Of faltering. His face was firm. But
something in his very elaboration and
GOODNESS was wrong-a stiffness, sort of
paralysis that could not be defined. His
movements had q mechanical, an auto
matte appearance. .,,..ag.y & ca -.
d ''I am very sorry to have been obliged
to interrupt said Graham quietly. i
am quite ready now. You had counted
two.' $500 Z
Three-firev
|"My friend drew his hand to his. breast
at the report of Cuthbert's pistol and
came near falling He steadied himself
grandly and fired without aim at random.
Then he fell. -
II cut open his shirt and saw at once
that the wound was very serious-not
necessarily fatal, SO far as q superficial
examination showed, but with the chances
against recovery.
= ''''Youd better got over the line, said
to Cuthbcft. He is likely to die
'Graham revived a bit and tried to wills
per my name.
'"Brusqueness jsa characteristic of mine
Frankness is another. On this exception
al occasion was reasonably smooth spo
ken, and I lied to my patient. I told
him he was in no real danger.
Z g 'CuthbertS' he.questioned in barely
o,,r1;b1a fo,o'oc InopoE <,x,n, Il; I'm,