The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-11-10

He retraced his steps, trying to look
cool, but he was greatly depressed.
He would have to fight, he knew,
and he was thinking Of his mother.
The bravo, beside himself with
anger, had come to meet him and
aimed a blow at him with his cane.
A crowd had collected, and a meet
ing was arranged to take place the
next morning; weapons, pistols.
When the boy had gone away,
there were many to demonstrate
with the duelist, and even some of
his friends, Drawing his displeasure,
pleaded for one who was at most
only a boy and the only son of his
mother, but it was all in vain. He
roughly bade his friends to leave
him 10 manage his own affairs.
At S the next morning young Cou-
stans met his formida BILE antagonist.
He had spent a. sleepless night i'll
writing letter to his mother, which
his seconds were to give to her in
case he fell.
It was with evident reluctance and
only after renonstrance that the
two seconds performed their duties,
but at last the word to fce was
oiven The boy disdained to point
his weapon at one he rightly re-.
garded as brute and fired into the
air, but that brought in the heart OF
the bravo only greater lust OF
blood, and while the boy stood wait.
ing his fire with a refinement OF
brutality he raised his pistol with
the greatest, deliberat5on twice,
thrice and then, with the Internal
skill that never failed him, shot the
boy through the lungs. Henri fell,
and in a few seconds breathed his
last after family murmuring: MA
mere! Ma mere!''
The seconds had not the courage
to break the news to the mother,
but prevailed upon a priest, old in
years and sanity in character, to
relieve them. The dead boys letter
was infinitely pathetic. Reimplored
his mother<cto to think well of him.
He knew the pain it would cause
her, but hettYould not be worthy OF
his fathers aaarne If che allowed q
defenseless girl to, be wantomlyS jim
suited; ;eS If ] fallt t":he wrote in.con-
clusion, II shall die happy, know
ing, mother dearest, you would
ratheisyour boy. were dead than lliv-
ing coward" 80 = ~
e The mother smiled on the priest
"My Henri is as hisfather-a knight
without fear,'' said she. Then She
laughed pleasantly and fell into a
swoon, and in the evening she was
dead. !"
News travelled more slowly in
those days, and it was some time
before it reached the boys regi-
ment. The colonel raved, then fell
to sobbing like a child, but Major
Belvois, harsh of feature, harsh of
voice, a crossgrained OLD bachelor
who hid a heart of flesh beneath a
forbidding exterior and had loved
the boy like a son-for he knew the
lads father-said nothing, bu&: later
in the evening, with two compan-
ions, he was posting to AK as fast
as the horses could drag kim.
He put up at the same hotel as the
bravo and, introducing himself,
made himself very pleasant to
D'Aubigny. In four days he was on
terms of great intimacy with the
latter. The major lost 200 or 300
francs to him at cards. II must
have my revenge, he said laugh
ingly. Come to my rooms this
evening, and we will have a quiet
game with my two friends-a little
square party
Right, said D'Aubigny, with a
smile, and at 9 that evening he was
admitted into the presence Of the
major and his brother officers.
But produce the cards, mon
ami" said D'Aubigny after a good
part of an hour had elapsed.
II rather think not" said the
major quietly. my friends object
to playing with a cheat. F."
"Monsieur!" exclaimed the bravo
in an extremity of establishment.
"Bad taste Of theirs, no doubt"
said the major quietly.
'Who says cheat3" asked D'Au-
bigny in menacing tone.
II do, of course, replied thu ma
jor. Every one knows it excepting
my very innocent friends here. !"
Monsieur, asked the bully,
starting up. ''do you mean to insult
me9"
"Oh, no." said Belvois, with
most irritating grimace, II never
attempt impossibilitiesl''
II do, then," cried D'Aubigny in
g rage as he struck the major fu-
rious blow.
The major bowed gravely. "That
is an insult" he said calmly. II
have little skill with Weapons nv.