The Princeton union., 1900-03-29

i
stood on the Hat stones round the
spring. The officer wore his eye.
glasses, and had his cigar between his
liups. The grass muffled Ronald s
steps, and as Wrinkle was look
ing towards the house us if expect
ing some one, he did not notice our
hero's presence till he stood beside him.
"Ah!" CALCULATED Wrinkle, as he
turned, and then throughhis glasses he
eyed Ronald coldly from head to foot.
"Ah!" he repeated, and then he took q
puff at his cigar and blew the smoke
towards the house as he looked again
up the walk. One familiar with the
tricks Of Wrinkles sallow face might
have found hint of uneasiness there
as Ronald caught his eye and held it
steadily for a second.
There is matter that you and I
must settle, SIR" said our hero, calmly.
For moment Wrinkle gazed almost
detiantly at the speaker, then his glance
wavered just a little.
"A matter that you and 1 must set
tie ?" he echoed, with a faint sneer,
land what is that, my good fellow:o"
You deliberately drove your horses
against me last night in the road and I
have come to demand satisfaction
The officer sent another glance up the
walk towards the house; it was as if he
were hoping some one would arrive to
prevent what seemed inevitable. He
did not like the expression Of the face
before him; he dreaded the awful
threatening tranquility of it.
He removed his cigar from his lips
and held it in his fingers, that quivered
nervously.
II don't want to have trouble with
you,'' he said.
''Then you should not have driven
over me-" answered Ronald, "for moth.
ing under high heaven can avert the
consequences of that cowardly act.''
II am not good driver, Mr.. Fen
shawl believe that is your name, sir.
Just as I passed your brother my hand
slipped, and"
''You are deliberate liar!" Ronald
interrupted him.
Wrinkle started, paled a little and
made a half threatening gesture with
his right hand, but as he gazed into
our hero's eyes his arm sank slowly
down to his side and he made i lame
pretense of trying to restrain his an
ger.
"You must not use insulting words to
me-" he said.
Ronald smiled. "You would not be
50 inartistic as to deny that you lied,
Wink]e, but the fact that you tacitly
admit you are liar does not satisfy
me. I tell you we have got to settle
this matter right here and now"
II don't know what you mean," Win.
kle found himself saying. II do not
want any trouble with you. I've said
that the-the thing was an. accident
and"
"And have said that it was not an
accident, and that will fight you or
have the satisfaction of knowing YOU
are a coward. If you are a coward !
would not soil my hands with you"
Wrinkle was very white now; his ci-
gar fell from his lips and he caught it
against his breast. II am unarmed
and" Che looked Ronald over AGAIN.
you arr are physically stronger than !
am.'' ~
Thereupon Ronald drew the two re-
Volvers from his pockets and held them
out. Il thought that pistols would be
fair" he said. "You may take YOUR
choice; they are practically the same.
This is a quiet place; we can have it
over in few minutes. have thought
out a plan that will be perfectly fair
to both of us. The plantation bell will
ring in few moments; we can get
ready and at its first stroke we NAV
turn and fire till the revolvers are
empty or one of us is down.
Winkle stared fixedly.
why, that would be deliberate mur-
der" he gasped, shrinking back step
or two from the extended revolvers.
1T would not be any more murder
than death in any duel would be, Capt