Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-11-18

We took our seats liz the carriage. 1T
Is always the way with the man who
is in the right. FerMri, | ear. is not
quite so comfortable
And he proffered me cigar, which
| accepted. Just as we were about
to start, the fat landlord of the hotel
rushed toward us, and laying hold
of the carriage door" Eccellenza," ne
observed in a confidential whisper,
of course this is only a matter OF
coffee and glorias? They will be ready
nor you all on your return. | know
l understand And he smiled and
nodded a great many times, and laid
his finger knowingly on the side OF
his nose We laughed heartily, as
surfing him that his perspicuity was
wonderful, and he stood in the broad
steps in high good humor, watching
us as our vehicle rumbled heavily
away
Evidently" | remarked, me does
not consider a duel as a serious at
fair.
Not he," replied Freccia "he has
known of too many sham fights TO be
able to understand a real one D'Aven-
court knows something about that too,
though he always kills his man But
very often it is sufficient to scratch
one another with the sword-point so
as to draw a quarter of drop OF
blood, and honor is satisfied Then the
coffee and glorias are brought, as sug-
gested by our friend and landlord
1T is ridiculous age" said the
marquis, taking his cigar from his
mouth, and complacently surveying
his small, supple white hand,
thoroughly ridiculous, but / deter
mined ii should never make fool OF
me. You see, my dear conte, nova
days a duel is very frequently decided
with swords rather than pistols, and
why? Because towards fancy 1t Is
much more difficult to kill with the
sword. But not at all. Long ago /
made up my mind that no man should
continue to live who dared to insult
me. | therefore studied sword-play
as an art. And ! assure you IL is a
simple matter to kill with the sword
remarkably simple. My opponents
are astonished at the east with which
| dispatch them!'
Freccia laughed DE Hamal is a
pupil of yours marquis. is he not?"
~ regret to say yes He is marvel
ously clumsy. | have often earnestly
requested him to eat his sword rather
than handle it so boorishly, Yet he
kills his men, too, but in a butcher
like manner totally without grace or
refinement | should say he was about
on par with our two associates, Fer
rari's seconds.
| reused myself from a reyerie into
which ! had fallen
What men are they?" / inquired
"One calls himself the Capitano
Ciabatti the other Cayaliere Dursi,
indifferently Good swearers both and
hard drinkers filed with stock
phrases, such as "our distinguished
dear friend, Ferrari, wrongs which
can only be wiped out by blood ALI
bombast and braggadociol These fell
lows would as soon be on one side as
the other"
He resumed his smoking, and we all
three lapsed into silence The drive
seemed very long, though in reality
the distance was not great. At last
we passed the Casa Ghirlande, sl-
perb chateau belonging to distin-
guished nobleman who in former days
had been a friendly neighbor to me,
and then our vehicle jolted down a
gentle decliyty which sloped into a
small valley, where there was good
sized piece of smooth fiat greensward.
From this spot could be family DIS
cerned the castellated turrets OF my
house the Villa Romanl Here we
came to standstill, Vincenza jumped
briskly down from his seat beside the
coachman, and assisted us 10 allght.
The carriage then drove off 10 retired
corner behind some trees. We sur
yeyed the ground, and saw that as yet
only one person beside ourselves had
arrived. This was the surgeon, dap
per good humored little German who
spoke bad French and worse Italian,
and who shook hands cordially with
us all. On learning who ! was he
bowed low and smiled very amlably
THE best wish | can offer 60 you
signor," he said, 'is that you may have
no occasion for my services. You have
reposed yourself? That is well-sleep
steadies the nerves. Ach' you SILVER!
True it is, the morning 10 cold,
/ did indeed experience a passing
shudder, but not because the air was
chilly. 1t was because ! felt certain
so terribly certain, OF Killing the man
| had once loved well. Almost
wished could also feel that there was
the slightest possibility of his killing
me; but mo-! all my instincts told me
there was no chance Of this. had
a ne