The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-07-21
\ A CHALLENGE.

on his coat, sat In close conversation to-
gether In the smoking room In hotel at
cologne. The subject that occupied their
attsDtion seemed to be an exciting one--at
yeays to him Of the military buttons and
black cap, for no emphasized strongly,
knit his brows awfully and at last went
20 far as 10 swear terrible oath.
"Don't permit yourself to get excited
now," Interrupted the friend. "It won't
help matters mt all"
"Oh, I've got no patience"
"Then It's time you had some," coolly
returned bis friend. "If you intend push
ting your way into the good graces Of Kitty
1rownlow, you must do something more
shan fume about the matter Of difference
shat has sprung up"
"Yes, but to think of poor soribbler OF
an author-an author, bah! q scribbler-
TO think. say, Of spiritless creature like
that Weldon pushing himself between me
and such girl as Kittie Brownlow-and
oven gaining her notice-it's too bad. He
has sonneted her eyebrows no doubt, fat
tered her In verse and prose until she
doesn't know what or where she IL, and
IN this way he has become kind Of rival.
But I'll not stand it-Ill-I'l''-
"Well, what will you dor"
l. IL -
I'll do. III challenge the puppy and
shoot him."
And the young lieutenant, for such he
u duello and looked pistols and death.
"But he won't fight"
won't her" and the lieutenant's face
frightened. "Then I'll post him as
coward. That'l hurt him most Of all.
All women hate coward. I'll post him
and cowhide him into the bargain II nec.
essary."
Posting will do" rather sarcastically
replied his friend "But ON what pretense
will you challenge him?"
all make one. I'll insult him the first
time meet him, and then, IL he says any.
thing, I'll challenge and shoot him."
"That will be quite gentlemanly, quite
secording to the code Of honor" returned
hts friend quietly.
The young military gentleman to whom
we have introduced the reader was Regi
nald Bostwick, quite good looking fel.
low, though not altogether the Adonis he
fancied himself. He had fallen deeply in
love with the charms of Kittie Brown.
low and was making rapid inroads upon
her heart-at least he aattered himself So
when young man we'll known in literary
orioles, Bernard Weldon, made his appear.
ance and was received with high degree
of favor that confounded the officer, who
had already begun to think himself sure
of the prize. Bernard had much reader
{ tongue and a great deal more in his head
than the other and could therefore, in a
matter of mind at least, appear to much
better advantage than his rival. He had
also written and published one or two
books, which gave him a standing as an
author. Take him all In all, he was a
rival to be feared, and Reginald was not
long in making the discovery. What was
TO be done? A military man must not be
put down and beaten of by mere civil.
ian. The rival must be polished of In
some way. The professional way was, as
has been seen, thought of first. Weldon
must be challenged and killed of, and the
course would be clear.
A few days after this brave and honor
able decision the officer met the author In
a public place and purposely jostled him
rudely. Weldon said nothing, thinking II
possible that 1t might have been only an
accident. But he remained near Bostwiok
to give him the chance Of repeating the In.
suit, II such was his intention. 1t was not
long before the author was again jostled
In still ruder mapner than before, and
at the Same time some offensive word was
muttered by the officer. This was in the
presence of number of persons, who
could not help hearing, seeing and under.
standing oil that passed. Satisfied that
Ahe insult was intended, Weldon looked
Bostwick in the face for q moment and
then asked loud enough to be heard all
around:
"Did you jostle me Intentionally"
II did," was tho angry retort
"0entlemen never do such things"
As Weldon said this no looked with
marked emphasis steadily In the officers
face.
"You shall hear from me, SIR"
As tho officer made this reply no turned
and walked away with military air.
There's trouble for you, Bernard. He'll
challenge you," said two or three of that
genlteman's friends, who instantly gath
er."
"Do you think sop
Certainly. He's an officer. Fightings
his trade"
"well, let him fight"
"what will you dor"
' Accept tho challenge of course, what
elseS'
"And fight i,imp"
"Unquostionably."
Hell shoot you."
"I'm not afraid"
Weldon returned to his lodgings, where
he found n lettor from Bostwick already
awaiting him, the officer being evidently
impatient for an encounter.
The next morning two friends of tho
belligorcnts were closetcd together for the
purpose of arranging tho preliminarics OF
the duel.
"The wcaponf' asked tho friend of tho
military man. "Your principal 10y the
laws Of honor has the choice and also tho
right TO name tho time and place of meet
ing"
"Ycs, we understand. All Is settled"
"He will fight then"
"Fightf Certainly Bernard Weldon Is
no coward"
"Wcll, then, name tho weapons.
1.-TWO good fountain pens"
"Slr" exclaimed tbe othor I'm profound
astonishmcnt.
rTho weapons are to be two Of tho best