Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-09-28
SAVED HER LOVER

laQOuneT, one OF bne most DeautlIul anu
refined girls in Lyons. One night at .
cafe chantant he rebuked Achille Emaux,
q professional duelist, for interrupting q
singer and publicly derided him as cad
and reviler Of ladies. A duel was in
stantly arranged to take place next morn
ing.
Mile. Lanc>sner was in the theater with
her uncle and witnessed the incident.
Jules, whom she loved with her whole
heart and soul, would be corpse before
another day had passed That was the
one thought that filled her brain, and for
q time in her distress and agony she was
almost demented. But by degrees she
forced herself to be calm. At whatever
cost her lover must be saved. Half an
hour before midnight, when her mother
had retired, she quietly stole out and made
her way as furtively as thief to Emaux's
residence.
He had not returned, and she was oblig-
ed to wait. 1t was nearly o'clock when
the bravo came in, humming funeral
march, as was his custom on the eve of o
duel.
Good evening, mademoiselle, he said
as she rose on his entrance. "This is an
unexpected pleasure, though regret to
say do not recognize you, and my man
did not catch your name. Pray be seated,
mademoiselle, and tell me what can do
for you"
She obeyed, and he seated himself oppo-
site her. She was trembling and CULVER
ing, and her throat was SO dry that she
could scarcely speak. But at the sight Of
him sitting there, gay, careless and smil-
ing, and yet to be In a few hours the
butcher Of her beloved, tempest of pas
sion shook her, and her tongue was loosed.
Monsieur" she cried, rising again,
you are Infamous, a beast-nay. that is
an insult to the poor beasts! loathe you!
You defile the earth Pahi you smell
of blood Even beast Is merciful at
times, but you-you-you"-
Emaux was utterly taken by surprise,
but he still preserved an unruffled front.
''Mademoiselle, he said, ''you are very
good to come at this hour to pay me COM
pliments. What have done to deserve
themY"
"Done!" she cried. "what are you
about to do, houndY Jules Souvestre is my
betrothed, and you insult and intend to
murder him. 1t shall not be, say. See,
I will fight you in his stead. Get pistols,
have insulted you. I insult you again.
You are viler than any living creature.
Gomez
A steely glitter came in his eyes, but he
still smiled.
81 am truly sorry for you, mademoiselle.
But that dog insulted me publicly, and
well, we fight at dawn"
"Insulted your He could not, monsieur.
But you shall fight me. Get pistols at
once, II you are not coward"
He still smiled.
i do not fight women, mademoiselle-I
love them. 1 am truly sorry, but unless
you can persuade him to an apology as
public as the insult there is nothing more
to be said. 1t is late, mademoiselle.
will sec you out"
''You shall fight me, ruffian!"
He shook his head, with an amused
SMILE "Mademoiselle's best weapon is
her tongue, and that fortunately does not
kill"
She looked at him with terrified eyes.
"Do you mean to kill him, monsieur2''
eyes" he said curtly.
She fell back into the chair with o
strangled cry, horror in her eyes. For a
moment she sat thus, then she flung her
self on her knees at his feet.
Monsieur" she cried, shave pity,
have pityI I love HIM. Monsieur, you
will kill both Of usl Pity, pityp' she
gasped.
"Rise, mademoiselle, beg of you," he
said. "You have just told me have no
pity"
"Have you no heart, monsieur" she
moaned.
''None when man has publicly insult
cd me. And" he went ON in a cynical
tone, "who knows but may do made-
moiselle favor. Men swear their vows
as lovers, but they soon forget them.
may possibly save mademoiselle from q
life Of misery"
She flushed in momentary heat at that.
"You do not know him." she cried.
"His love is as great as the seq. Can you
exhaust the sea? Has your heart never
known love, monsieur"
He frowned. 1t recalled time ten
years before
''Ah, sec 1t has" she said quickly.
"By that love, monsieur, have pity. You
shall have my gratitude and prayers every
day. AS long as live I shall remember
you and ask mercy for you, even as you
had mercy on me-"
He did not answer. but gazed on her
beautiful, pleading face. 1t was girl a
little younger than this one and quite as
beautiful who had died ten years ago, and
all good influences had died with her.
/ "You have overcome, mademoiselle." he
said HE shall live fonour sake"
"You will spare him?"
"Be comforted, mademoiselle. I meant
to kill him, but he shall live. We shall
fight at dawn, but he shall not die. Come,
mademoiselle, it is time you were gone.
Shall see you safely homer"
"No. no." she cried as he led her to the
door. "You win keep your oath, mon
sieur-you will not forget?"
mo, mademoiselle, and you will not
forget your prayersi" he said. with little
laugh. "If you are right, need them.
Good night and fear nothing"
But she did fear. When she reached
home, it seemed to her almost impossible
to believe that man with such ruthless
reputation would forbear to kill the man
who had insulted him.
She went to bed, but she could not rest
and soon got up again and toward
o'clock stole toward the spot where the
duel would take place.
/ From behind shrubbery, In what state
IF mind NAV be ima0ined she saw both