The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-16
An Error of Fate.


theoretical way Of living life upside
down. 50 to speak. a life in which vice IL
triumphant and virtue vanQuished, the
world would be the loser of much rnefrt-
ment. But such life Is only theoretical
after all. and the rarity Of even an in
cident following the theoretical path. es-
pecially unto death. Is therefore all the
more worthy to be set down.
For when a tragic theory becomes prac-
teal there are apt to be two or three
horribly interesting scenes, and de-
movement both unexpected and sudden
Dick Curzon was an ordinary young
| man, except that he had S200 q year
and that makes a lot Of difference. He
was an orphan, and had been brought
up by an aunt, whose views OF life were
bounded by prosperity and the back page
of the Echo.
And so II came to pass that when his
aunt was sure that his general apathy
to his surroundings was due TO Illness she
summoned his doctor to see him. The
doctor was a man who looked as II he
had spent his life logging sick folk slow
ly to their graves. He asked Dick few
cursory questions. and then said: Mr..
CurZoE, you must go to the south OF
France, sit in the sunshine, drink Bur-
gundy, and return when you are no long
er exhausted
His aunt Observation-Disclosures the or
nate Richard. told him she would be glad
to see him back, and recommended him
to be kind to dumb animals.
II was through a trivial incident that
he made the acquaintance OF Mime.
Etienne. He had dawdled to st. jean
de-Luz, and while crawling along the
edge of the little bay, wrapped in the
comforting thought that he was simply
beautifully dressed, he stepped upon .
small dog. The animals piercing yells
only slowly subsidized when resting I'M
der the soft chin Of Nine. Etienne.
He saw a pretty oval face, with large
blue eyes. which looked quickly from his
own to the dog, and back to his. In
the rich violet light that seemed TO play
between them they discovered poor TrilPs
leg was broken. That which Dick after
wards dramatically called fate fell as a
mantle upon his shoulders.
He asked leave to call upon her next
day to make the acquaintance OF her
husband and to see the dog. The rich
light poured from her eyes again as she
acquiesced and she passed on.
Dick fixed his eyes on the horizon, and,
breathing softly, walked away on the
air.
He met NJ. Etienne. who was over
whelmingly polite. as became his nation.
atty, and so profuse in his thanks that
Dick at last really thought he had done
doughty deed. Monsieur was away all
and every day at Bayonne and Dick was
far more than contented to continually
meet or cali upon madame. Her large
eyes grew soft and serious as Dick relat-
ed sundry adventures he had had. and
he appeared to her chivalrous, quaint,
and, above all, strong.
When they bathed together she saw his
shining knotted muscles. and bowed her
head before the involuntary comparison
she had made between him and the fat
and fabby appearance of her husband.
1t happened that one day. after three
weeks brilliant sunshine. 1t rained. Dick
went up the narrow tree-lined street to
Marie's house with a vague involuntary
sense Of responsibility. AS they sat at tea
he watched her, and while the scent OF
the roses in the bowl at his elbow min
gled with the faint, fresh smell OF the
rain there came upon him suddenly the
utter desolation of life without her. A
brilliant blue fash of lightning frighten-
ed her. and with an almost instructive
quick drawing of her breath she put her
hand upon his arm. He took up the little
white fingers and pressed them to his
lips, and murmured in low. firm voice.
words that came easily enough at that
moment
She did not move. He put his arm
around her and kissed her once when the
shining and sparkling like the raindrops
on his coat, stood there.
When he received the promised chal-
lenge to a duel his thoughts were no more
disentangled than before. A quick thought
OF hastily returning to England he dis
missed as cowardly, and yet he felt him
self to be more in the position of fool
than knave. The even tenor OF his way
was ployed up and he did not like II.
m
OF answering the challenge he chose PTS
tolls for, as he said to his second IAN
Englishman, picked out of the hotel. and
sworn to secrecy, 81 should be a damn
fool to risk my precious body near his
rapier when the most / can do in the
cutting line is to dismember a chicken.
whereas 1 may have chance with a
pistol"
He slept internationally the night be-
fore the fight. and although he could not
help noticing how pale he was, yet he
shaved himself without a tremor. He de-
cided not to write to his pious aunt, AM
went forth to the appointed spot with his
head erect. It was a clear. bright day,
and fifteen PAGES were measured out with
an apparently overwhelming amount OF
civility. The line Of fire was 10 be at right
angles to the suns rays. and they were
to fire after the word ''trois."
NJ. Etienne tore off his coat and waist
coat, and Dick invOluntarily did the
same. He saw a horrible rage in his adj
versary's eyes. and breathing heavily. he
nervously passed his hand across his fore
head and wiped away the sweat. A bum
blee-bee hummed by. and then there was
silence.
TN"
"Deux."
""Trois"
The two reports were two seconds
apart. Dick felt a sharp sting across the
back OF his right hand. and he looked
down 10 see a thin. bright red lire of
blood there. Directly afterwards he saw
N. Etienne had fallen. He stumbled
across the intervening fifteen PAGES. and.
pushing aside his second. who was al
ready there, saw the left side Of his ad-
versary's chest one large. red mass. And
some one said. I'll est mort-deja-"
NJ. Etienne's bullet had twitchedDick' $
pistol into a sure aim-and NJ. Etienne
had killed himself,-West End.