The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-25

You shall hear from me in the morning,
sir"
t"'Between this and then you will have
time to run away. I prefer to kill you
tonight"
"Kin?"
THAT is how put 1t. We are both SOL
diers. 1t will be fair fight Don't be
afraid"
Let it be as you please"
''Then come with me-"
AS If obeying the voice of Fate, Ruperts-
wood followed the stranger, who hurried
forward through the lonely streets by
which the viscount had just returned. The
high wind buffetted them, a few drops of
rain were blown in their faces. clouds
covered the moon.
AS they came to the door Of a private
house, Maj. Hengist paused, and said:
Remain here a moment"
Then with his latch-key he let himself
in, and a minute later returned with two
swords carefully wrapped, which he car
ried under one arm. At the end of the
street they turned into ST. James square,
and once more Rupertswood passed the
dead body of Lucille. Crossing to the rail-
tngs in the center Of the square the major
looked carefully around, then producing a
key opened one of the gates. which he i'm
mediateiy closed when they had entered
the garden.
The thick growth OF evergreens lining
the iron ratings and the trees within would
prevent a stray passenger from seeing
what took place inside, whilst the waiting
of the wind through the swaying branches
would drown the c.ashtng of their swords.
Once as they trod the damp gravel path
Henglst paused, and facing his compan-
iom asked, where is she now?"
God alone knows" Rupertswood an
swered as he thought of the dead
Then they went EDWARDS, the wind moan
ing pitifully In their ears until they reach
ed a patch of greensward IN the center
when Henglst paused, took his swords
from their covering, and looked up al the
sky which was now bright and clear
There is plenty of light for us to see."
he remarked Choose your own sword.
will give you no mercy, nor shall ask
any. One Of us must die tonight. If ]
fall you can take the swords; you WIN
find the key of the garden In my pocket;
none saw us enter; you can escape unseen.
and no one will know by whom l was
killed. If you fall, as l have no doubt
you will, my conscience will be clear. for
/ shall have taken a life for life and rid
the world of a scoundre Draw"
Lord Rupertswood had as little doubt
as his companion as to how this duel
would end. He was quite assured that in
few moments he, too, would be amongst
the dead, but he was resolved to make
sible to give fatal stroke to this man
who had so Unexpectedly come into his
life for the purpose of destroying Il when
its possession seemed most valuable He
therefore, defended himself with skill
whilst sparks flew from the steel. In his
day he had been an expert swordsman
but in Maj. Hengist he had met his match
And as they fought, their arms nerved
with deadly purpose. their blood reused
Hengist slipped on the damp mould when
Rupertswood, with a murderous light In
his eyes, sprang upon his antagonist.
Assassin the latter cried out as he
jumped to his feet, 50 that the blow
which was meant to be fatal. merely
grazed his breast, from which blood began
10 trickle.
Then face to face once more they
fought desperation lending them strength
until with quick thrust Hengist's SWORD
pierced Rupertswood's left side, Just
above the region of the heart. Without
a word the latter fell forward. then In
contortions rolled to one side, his eyes
wild with fear and pain, his mouth wide
open, the muscles OF his face contracted
Lucille" he whispered, "Lucille-J'
But the death rattle sounding IN hts
throat left his sentence forever unfnlsh-
ed.
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