El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-15
SAVED HER LOVER.


a professional duelist, for interrupting
singer and publicly derided him as a cad
and a reviler of ladies. A duel was In
stantly arranged to take place next morn
ing.
Mile Ladouner was in the theater with
her uncle and witnessed the incident
Jules. whom she loved with her whole
heart and soul, would be d corpse before
another day had passed! That was the
one thought that filled her brain, and for
a 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 a 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
duel.
''Good evening, mademoiselle, - he said
as she rose on his entrance. This is an
unexpected pleasure, though I regret to
say do not recognize you, and my man
did not catch your name Pray be seated,
| mademoiselle, and tell me what I can do
| for you
| She obeyed, and he seated himself oppo-
| site her. She was trembling and CULVER
X,
| 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! I loathe you!
You defile the earth PAIL 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 unruff1ed front.
'Mademoiselle, he said, you are very
| good to come at this hour to pay me COM
| pliments. What have I done to deserve
| them?"
"Donep' she cried. "What are you
| about to do, hound? Jules Souvestre is my
| betrothed, and you insult and intend to
murder him. 1t shall not be, say. See,
| 1 will fight you in his stead. Get pistols,
and we will stand on either side the ROOM
I have insulted you. 1 insult you again
| You are viler than any living creature.
Comet"
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 you? He could not, monsieur.
But you shall fight me. Get pistols at
|
He still smiled.
| 81 do not fight women, mademoisel1e-1
! 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 see you OUT
''You shall fight me, ruffian!''
He shook his head, with an amused
smile 'Mademoiselle' best weapon is
her tongue and that fortunately does not
kill
She looked at him with terrified eyes.
''Do you mean to kill him, MONSIEUR"
Eyes, he said CURLY.
| She fell back into the chair with a
strangled cry, horror in her eyes. For n
moment she sat thus, then she flung her
self on her knees at his feet.
Monsieur she cried, "have pity,
have pityl 1 love HIM. Monsieur, you
will kill both of usl Pity, pity!'' she
gasped.
'fRise, mademoiselle, beg of you," he
pity
'Have you no heart, monsieur She
| moaned.
| "None when man has publicly insult
ed me. And,' he went on in a cynical
tone, ''who knows but I may do made
| moiselle a favor. Men swear their vows
as lovers, but they soon forget them. I
may possibly save mademoiselle from a
life of misery"
She flushed in momentary heat at that
| "You do not know him., she cried
ellis love is as great as the sea. Can you
exhaust the sea? Has your heart never
| known love, monsieur?''
! He frowned. 1t recalled a time ten
| years before.
! ''Ah, sec it has!'' she said quickly.
"By that love, monsieur, have pity. You
shall have my gratitude and prayers every
day. AS long as live 1 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 a girl q
| 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 for your sake"
''You will spare him?"
"Be comforted, mademoiselle. 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 will keep your oath, mon
sieur-you will not forget?''
mo, mademoiselle, and you will not
forget your prayers?'' he said, with little
laugh. "If you are right, I 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 a 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 3
O'Clock stole toward the spot where the
duel would take place
From behind a shrubbery, in what state
of mind may be imagined, she saw both
parties arrive on the field, she saw the
formalities gone through, but she lost con-
seriousness for a minute when they stood