The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-07
The Great Magic.


| most gorgeous mail, which she had al
! most crushed in riding. The sun gdnts,
that made Of the beetle a glitter Of Grim
| son and blue, and of her hair, as she
! stopped down, a brown and gold won
| der, struck down through roof OF rust
| ling leaves.
But if the charming Doraminte should
| discover
| She started up at hearing herself so
suddenly discussed The voice she recog-
nized as that of a certain NJ Marfin-
/ one of the many men supposed TO oe
/ languishing for her sake-a fool, never
| theless, and -setestable. She judged from
| the sound that he must be hidden by a
! triple row of baeches 1t was an fmper-
| thence to use her fore name-even with
| the epithet. If she should discover
what? Mile. de Brunette had no wish
to listen. but she stopped again to admire
the beetle.
She will not discover
| Worse and worse. This was another
reputed sutton speaking, de Beauflet by
name, whom she misliked for knave.
| He had an oily tongue, and drawled. 1t
was to be kept secret, then?
| But If we are compelled TO shoot
him." questioned Martin.
why" drawled de Beaufiet ''the
woods hold many things"
st mean that if he is shot, he win have
| shot himself Why should he not? He
moons about with a gun-unloaded-it
| Is true--as I have taken care II ascer-
| tain; he thinks Of her fascinating eyes,
of her figure that entrances him. Very
well-he comes to a bramble, still mag
! ining-his foot catches-he stumbles-
poof; his gun goes off-he is shot. 1t
will be very sad
De BeauHet ended with a jeering laugh
But then, ours are pistols" objected
the other.
"a gun may be discharged into dead
man." said De Beaufet, brutality. and
in any event there is no need to shoot
! him. Two pistols at a mans head
helm, my friend-he may be excused r.,
under the circumstances. he gives a SOL
emn promise to look no more upon the
adorable Doraminte.''
Suppose he broke the promise.?" sug-
gested Martin.
HE is a man Of honor" said De
Beaufet.
Perhaps it said more for the individual
man than for the majority of her ac-
quaintances, but Mile. de Brunette, hear
ing this tribute was so convinced Of who
was meant that she hardly needed De
Beaufet's concluding words: "a pig he
may be: a mule he is, full of airs and
madness after this tropical existence that
he has tried, but once he has given a
promise, De Vallon will keep it,
De Vallon? 1t seemed to her most true
that the Comte de WALTON was above all
things man of honor. Perhaps she
did not quite like the strange power Of
his eyes, and it might be that he was
brusque, though she remembered also
how at a ball-only a few days since
when others, with the fiattery that was
in vogue had been comparing her hair
to sun-rays and her eyes to the stars,
he also had burst into most sudden
compliment.
Martin was questioning again I'M
easily
when De vallon has left the country
for"
WHO is to possess the charming Dora
minte?"
That" said De Beaufet, reassuring-
", I'VE have agreed to decide between
ourselves"
We'll, am with you against De Val
lon"
Come, then-he will be somewhat at
the end Of this glade"
The two conspirators moved away down
the beechen avenue.
A strife of voices broke the silence Of
already recountered, and yet there was
no pistol shot Supposing the man Of
honor had already given his word? Her
heart beat rapidly at the thought, and.
without waiting, she mounted the pail
frey and rode over the intervening space
till only a thin line Of bushes separated
her from the three.
Truly, the words were magical. She
had expected to find De WALTON at least
unarmed and a prisoner Instead, as she
looked through, she saw facing each
other De Beauhet and Martin, vacancy
in their faces, and pistols aimed directly
at one another. while the Comte de VAL
Ion stood at one side.
You perceive NJ. de Beauflet," he was
saying composedly, that the pistol Of
NJ Martin is directed at your"
Certainly" said De Beaufet, Ike one
in a dream.
And you, m'sieur," said the comte,
turning his eyes on the other, doubt
less you observe that NJ. de Beauflet
threatens you with his pistol?'
81 observe" said NJ. Martin. sleepily.
Then, gentlemen"--the comte's words
flowed on in even monosony-"since you
are agreed that the affair which you
came out to settle must be carried to
the end. and are good enough TO treat
me as your mutual second-which is the
case. is it not?"
They both. wagged their heads fool
ishly, without ceasing their stony glare.
They might have been statues, but that
they had pistols. De Valon went on:
II shall count ne-two-three-and at
the word three-not before-you will
firep'
Again they wagged their heads But
De Vallon did not count. On the con-
trary. while Mile de Brunette was turn
ing her palfrey's head, determined at
last that there was no need for her
presence. he having cast a long stern
look at each Of the conbatants in turn.
which had, as it seemed. the effect %
making them more rigid than before
stepped aside into the trees casually, and
almost stumbled upon her.
''You, nademoiselle" ne said. simply
as If no more could be desired. She
was vexed with herself at being so dis
covered. and sat her palfrey with a
charming haughtiness.
Il fear that, by an accident, I in
trude" she said, co,dly.
But these gentlemen" she said, wsv-
ing her hand in their direction-':T fear
I interrupt them"
His eyes followed her hand, and. see
ing the tue standing there Ike stocks.
began to laugh.
They DO not appear to be interrupt
ed" he said suavely.
But" she said, curiously, YOU we-s
about 70 give the word 70 fre7-'
Pardon me-" he SAID. no"
Then she ssff. iupatientlv, why
this mUmmery? what IS the meaning OF
it2 II wish 20 know"
L was his turn 70 feel confuse5
''Mademoiselle." he began. ap-locatic-
ally. II s. difficult 70 explain. These
gentlemen cana into the woods 20
shoo-'
''Shoot-vhom -
zone whom they 6ld the honor 20 sus-
pect for a rival IN the eyes of-;he