The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-07-26
A WANT OF COURAGE.

ttl. Tic ciiltu INC " lllr.
As that harsh word fell upon my eur
passion ovcrcame me. - | struck Adams in
the face His friends drew him away, and
l went out into the open air.
On the following morning friend
named Watkins called upon me and pre-
sentcd note from Adams. l opened il
and Sound it to be challenge.
What should dos
What l ought to do was very plain. The
lesson of life which my mother had taught
me did not leave me to doubt. | ought to
have gone to Adams and made such Offer
of Cancellation us one gentleman may
honOrubly make to another, and If he had
rejected that | could have simply turned
from him and refused to do II further
wrong to right the wrong already done
But had not the courage to do that. l
was "a coward
l accepted the challenge.
"1Te sooner it is over the better" re.
marked Watkins.
"Ccrtainly," l responded. LET it lie
this very day, at sunset, upon the rivers
bank l will send a friend to you to make
further arrangements.
And the weapons?"
"Pistols. "
And so it was fxed.
All HOUR ullCFWdfu L IOu1u JOnn l'FlCe,
young physician, who agreed to act as
my second He did not urge II c to abandon
the idea, nor did he enter upon the work
as though he loved it, but he aid it be.
cause he fancied l was determined
knew that Adams WAS Il good shot, and he
knew that | was the same, for we had
practiced together; so there was no advan
tage TO either in the weapons
\ ftpr dinner Price came To me and tOl1
me that all was arranged
After Price had gone | sat down and
wrote two letters. What u coward was
to write them! One was to my mother
and the other to the girl who had promised
to be my wife. AS 81 now and think OF
| that hour l shudder-the hour when |
wrote to my mother and to my betrothed
White Heart ledge was high, perpen.
dicular wall of granite rising above the
| river, the top crowned with dark trees. 1t
received its name from peculiar mark,
where mass of white quartz appeared,
half way up the ledge, in the form of a
heart
Late in the afternoon / was uron the
sandy shore beneath the ledge, and almost
at the same time Adams made his appear
ance. We We're both anxious to be thought
brave men. He did not speak to me, nor
did l speak to him. Our seconds conferred
awhile together, and then Price came tG
my side.
''Must this thing go on?'' he asked.
l told him did not know how it could
be stopped. lied, for did know.
He informed me that if / would make
the least overture of peace he ielt sure that
Adams would accept it,
~ think, he said, THAT Adams is sorry
for what has happened. You struck him,
and he cannot retract."
"And he called me liar
"You are both good shots, added Price
land if you fire together you may botf
fall"
But dared not offer the hand of concil
iation. told him was ready.
He went back to Watkins, and pretty
soon they measured off the grounds
PAGES. We were to stand back to- back
those 12 PAGES apart. We were to turn al
the word cone" raise our pistols al
1.-TWO, and at the word "Three'' we were
to fire. l caught the eye of Adams as
took my position, and l was sure that
no angry passion dwelt therein For AZ
instant the impulse was with me to throw
down my pistol and offer him my hand, but
l had not the courage to do it.
Our seconds hesitated as though they
saw what was passing in our thoughts
but we offered no word, and they proceed
ed. The word "Oner' was given. can
not tell all the feelings that came crowd
ing upon me at that moment. l though
of my mother in her distant home.
thought of the scenes of my early child
hood. l thought of my college days, wheI
Adams had been my friend and chum.
thought of the holy love which had beamet
upon me since 1 had grown to man S rs
tate, and 1 thought that in one short min
ute more the black pail might cover 1t all
Watkins was long time in pronounc
ing the word "Two!" He evidently hopet
that one of us would relent, but he hopet
in vain.
Only breath held back the last fata
word. As we raised our pistols a sharp
agonized cry, as from a breaking heart
burst upon the air, and in another momen
two light shadows fitted upon the scene
was prisoner. Adams was a prisoner
Our pistols lay undischarged upon tn
sand.
The two girls who loved us better thai
we loved ourselves had guessed our secret
Love has sharp eyes. Clara Wolcott knew
Laban's hot temper. She had only to whis
per her suspicious to Mary, and two sleep
less sentinels were upon us.
In an instant l resolved to be a man
With the arms Of my beloved still enor
cling me, stretched forth my hand, but
was not in advance of Laban. AS thoug
one spirit moved us, our hands met mid
way.
81 have been fool, said Laban.
"And L have been a fool and coward,
I said.
We returned from the dark ground jus
as the day was softening into twilight
and from that hour Adams and mysel
were fast friends, and they who had save
us from the great crime entered upon tn
life path with us and have blessed us eve
since. Exchange.
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