The St. Johns herald., 1900-06-02

attack YOU. and. of course. such sn ex. pression can have but one result among men of honor. You understand me. presume?"
 Perfectly. friend; thou wishest me to do what in the language of the world is called fighting a duel.'
 Just so" said Fitzgerald. more and more astonished both al the Quaker's unexpected readiness 10 fight and at the coOlness with which he spoke of it. ''Name your friend. and I'll send mine to meet him."
 Friends have many, thank Heaven" quoth Jabez. "but none for such purpose. Hear my conditions: We will meet at noon tomorrow on Wantley common, without seconds. on horseback. and with such weapons as each may choose: and whichever is first driven of the ground shall be conSid- cred beaten"
 Fighting Tom laughed in spite of himself.
 "lt's pretty plain that you haven't had much to do with affairs of honor," said he: but one can hardly expect Quaker to be an authority on duel- ing. We'll, sir, l accept your terms, such as they are; and the sooner you make your will. and take leave of your friends. the better, for you've got little enough time left"
 Long before noon on the following day. Wantley Common was crowded as if either the king himself or mon- ster circus had been expected to pass that way. I; stiI: wanted few min- utes of 12 o'clock, when a chatter of horse hoofs was heard from the direc- tion of the town, and up rode Tom Fitz- gerald on his famous black horse, with sword by his side and pistols in his holsters, looking iercely round for an enemy.
 Suddenly hum ran through the ex- pectant crowd, and, just as the first stroke of l2 pealed from the old church tower. Jabez Goodharte was seen jog glng comfortably along on an am bling pony, holding in his hand something that looked like long pole. though the end of ii was hidden under his crim- son dressing-gown.
 This dressing-gown, hutterinG in the wind like a fag.Eas too much for the ! nerves Of Fitzgeraid's horse, which be- gan plunging and rearing so violently as almost 10 unseat it's rider. [
 Several of the lookers-on burst out ! laughing, and the enraged bully. hurl- ing a storm of abuse at them, charged l at Goodharte with drawn sword, mean ing to cut him down like thistle.
 But just then Jabez whisked out his i pole, with bladder full of dried peas | at the end of it, the rattle of which | scared the already frightened horse almost out of its senses.
 Round it wheeled. despite Fitzgerald's furious spurring. and tore off across | the common at such rate that in less than two minutes horse and rider were l out of sight. the frantic yells of the l squire being scarcely heard amid the deafening laughter of the crowd.
 Then the flood of popular enthusiasm broke loose. The victorious Quaker was seized and carried shoulder-high 1 into the town. with an accompaninent of cheering that made the windows rattle again.
 The local papers were full of the duel Tor days afters and Jabez was so over- ~helmed with visits and invitations to. 1inner that he hardly knew which way to turn.
 As for Fighting Tom Fitzgerald. that lays work was the last of him, so far IS Bullocksham was concerned. for from that morning he never showed his lace there again. But, three or four years later, Mir. Hartiboy, the retired landlord Of the King George, return ing from a tour through southern Eu- rope. brought word that Fitzgerald had lied at Milan of fit of apoplexy. caused by walters impudent question wheth- sr he was fond of dried peas.-Golden- Days;