Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-03-13
HIS AMBITION.

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~ determined to profit by them for the
attainment Of the object Of his ambition
-notoriety.
Everything is in my favor, F." said he,
"good locks, money and determination
to succeed. All want is short cut to
celebrity. A duel will give me that. "
The next evening while he was treat
ing himself to bavaroise at Tortoni's
short muscular individual, dressed in
the latest mode, with bristling mus
tache and self satisfied air, took his
seat at an adjoining table.
The provincial after critical inspec.
ton of the newcomer rose from his chair,
and saluting him courteously requested
him to favor him with the address Of
his tailor.
The stranger glanced askance at his
questioner.
"Why?" inquired he CURLY.
"Because / am struck, monsieur"
said Symphorien, with the good taste
of your costume. That green coat with
silver buttons becomes you so admira-
bly,"
"You think so? Well, your wish can
be easily gratified, for chance to have
q card Of my tailor in my pocket. Be-
hold itl'
"Thanks, monsieur. May I ask if you
have also the address Of your shoemaker
in your pocket?'
''The same thing is in my pocket,
monsieur the little man answered,
with great suavity, and tearing out a
leaf from his notebook he wrote on it
the required address and handed it to
Baliveau.
lis there any more you desire to
\ know, monsieur?"
"Only this-your hatters name, if
may be 80 bold?"
"That, I regret to say, sir, l cannot
afford you tonight have it at home,
and tomorrow morning two Of my
friends will bring it to you If you will
kindly oblige me with your address,. "
"With pleasure, monsieur, replied
Symphorien. Here is my card. )"
"And here, monsieur, is mine. p"
Nothing could be BETTER" thought
Baliveau as, exchanging polite bow
with the stranger and paying for his
: bayaroise, he strolled leisurely out and
!, down the boulevard.
He drew the card from his pocket, ap-
preached lighted window, and on the
little square Of pasteboard, in clear,
sharp etching, read, martial Rogue. "
"Roquel" said he, starting back and
paling visibly. "The great duelist, who
, never misses his man, but either splits
! him with thrust impossible to parry
; or brings him down with bullet sent
evenly between the eyes, Bon Dieu
: What mistake I've made, all for the
. sake Of little celebrity. I'll be cele.
brated tomorrow, that is certain. But
what good will it do me If Pm moi
there to see it?'
A secluded spot on the Bots de Bou
logne-less frequented in those days
than now-agreed upon at 4 O'Clock IL
the afternoon, proposed and accepted
. M. Roque's friends announced that theil
principal, having the choice of weapons
selected pistols, and this formality ovel
left Symphorien to his meditations
none OF the cheerfulest, as you can see
While ruefully rejecting on whom h
could apply to in his dilemma, h
CHANGED to pull from his pocket the tw'
addresses given him by Rogue.
And without a seconds delay he dis
patched a message to MN. Staub AM
Sakosky, the fashionable tailor and boot
maker Of that epoch, requesting thei
immediate attendance at the hotel wher
he was stopping.
Thirty minutes later they were there
and as wise measure of conciliation-
Symphorien was no fool, after all-h
gave them an order considerably large
than they were won't to receive, eve
from their most extravagant customers
Then, the necessary selections and meas
u1ements made, he amazed them still
more by demanding the amount Of tn
bill, as he desired to settle it beforehand
With one accord they protested agains
the need of so speedy a settlement. The
= had every confidence in monsieur's soly
! ency and were noS IN the slightes
t. hurryl
&c 'That may be, J" replied he, ''but
r am. have duel this afternoon wit
IN Martha Rogue, and, though am no nov
h. ice in such matters and have caught
II swallow on the wing many and many
g. time, one cannot be sure with so dar
% gerous an antagonist what may har
u a. pen.
nd Staub and Sakosky stared at each ott
ed or aghast Such an offhand proceedin
nc took the breath out Of them.
g They reflected on the chance-mol
i; unlikely Of course, but still possible-e
= q his proving himself the better shot {
RI the two Rogue owed them regula
Al. not Of money, and II he should ohanc
II to fall by Symphorien's bullet VIII
:. % would pay their billsi
~ Staub looked at Sakosky, Sakosk
'e' looked at Staub It was enough The
understood each other.
"Nousisur, said the latter, In