The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-01-11
DAMON AND PYTHIAS;
They Quarreled Over Woman.
and q Worthless Woman at That.
BY ATHoL FORBES.

Charlie said the other man quietly.
you must be going mad
Mad or not. have warned you. Mr.
George Radford. Ii it occurs again you
will regret it only once. and that will be
forever
Really. Mr.. Leslie" replied the other
man coldly. dropping the more familiar
name. you have missed your vocation.
l would suggest tragedy
Yes. BY -, if you venture so much
as TO address her, will knock you down.
even if have to do it in public. You
admit yourself that your intentions are
nothing more than a Irritation"
They were not even that
Very well. My relationship with her
means more. 1t is my desire that the
lady shall be my wife"
Good heavens. You cannot mean it,
Why, You have not known her a week.
By her own account she is roaming
through Europe alone
That will do. We will not discuss
the matter further"
If you take my advice. old man. you
will pause and consider well before you
tie yourself UP" said Radford, dropping
again into more kindly tone.
Take your advice and friendship to
the devil was the response.
at seems that | have" remarked his
companion. with smile.
Mr.. Leslie was not in the frame Of
mind required to appreciate 4 joke, SO
the other man babe him "GOodby.'
Here. One moment. sir. You have
net given me your promise that you will
avoid the lady in future
Il give no promise demanded in the
way you have thought courteous. nor is
ii my intention TO do so. Hold" he
cried as the other was about TO blaze
ont. The companionship of the lady is
nothing to me. nor is she. in my mind.
worth talking about, bur YOU have gone
out Of your way this afternoon to use
language which | cannot allow even You
10 use, AMI ! warn YOU not 10 repeat
such conduct II pains me to say any
thing nj the expense of lady. but she
is playing YOU false. for by her account
your presence is not AT all to her taste
and your attentions are an annoyance
In other words. she is merely flirting
with YOU. but At the same time keeping
her eyes open for any one else more suit
able TO her taste
You lie" he Kissed. and what is
more Without another word, the ex-
asperated man raised his cane. but the
one who confronted him gripped his arm
firmly and prevented the blow.
Leslie, you mad fool. what are you
about?" he whispered hoarsely. Have
you parted with your senses over this
painted adventures
The other man lowered his arm. You
are right. We can settle this in another
way" And without another word he
swung in the direction Of the hoteL
For awhile the man who was left be-
hind stood thinking over the disturbing
element which had come between him
and his friend. Since Elton days they
had been firm friends. AT Oxford where
you saw one you saw the other. and they
were popularity known as Damon and
PythiaS, whose devotion TO each other
ii is said, did not exceed theirs Each
would have surrendered his life for the
other: now, through q woman, they were
bitter enemies and as he thought OF the
woman be bit his lip and Swore.
He was not surprised to ind on arriv.
iu- Mt the hotel thar there was an otii-
Ger waiting To see him. in whom be recog-
nized casual acquaintance which they
had made in the coffee room q few days
E4tN NUS A-lNt an LAG44GlS. lC W - SUI
diously polite.
ANY time and weapons: just let me
know was the srut reply Of the Eng
lisnman as be dung himself into q chair
Il don't know any one in this iufe~ua
place. Can You procure ME a second:
Ii doesn't matter who lie is: merely
formal matter"
That was quite easy. Fortunately
-. H,.,.. 1.
and he assured Mr. Radford that moth
ing would give his friend greater pleas
ure There was a quiet little ruin aouu'
half mile along the ApQan way. ana
the duel could be fought there. II was
most careful 10 impress upon aim TIE
exact spot. and, with many prote >tati i.>
OF service. be left.
That night each Of the principals weht
through a mental martyriom Strains.
To say Charles Leslie did not sees the
company Of his ladyloye. rs he g>ua. 5
did. for q walk ou the terrace He n;
in his room trying 10 Smoke. for be .a3
not the heart 10 90 down aud join tl-
genial company. Many times he was
on the point of rushing to the room of .,>
friend. Then the remembrance u t.r
deadly Insult OF which he had b.uu
guilty caused him 10 shrink He btlay
ed like bear when his second return q
with the information that all was crrag-
I'd. pistols the weapons. half past u lha
time.
1t was useless for Radford tryiu. -
sleep. Each time he succeeded in dlliu-
over the most horrible nightmare haunt
ed him Again and again be saw his
friend lying on the ground. with his farc
upturned TO the sky as if in appeal fo
heaven for justice on his murderer Then
they played together as lads The Old
scenes Of boyhood came back again
Twice he got up. half dressed himself
determined to go 10 his friends room in
order TO open the matter again. "a put
before him all he knew Of her-the cause
OF il all Then the thought Of the insult
sEered to him. as also the certain knowl
edge Of Leslie's pigheadedness. acted as
deterrents.
Next morning. soon after 8. Radford
was at the rendezvous with his second
chatty, fussy. little officer Of the caval-
~.
Was the signor a good shot? Yes.
That was good. He believed the other
signor was too. All. we'll, il was much
| more satisfactory when men understood
the use OF weapons, especially pistols.
The Englishman. mentally cursing him
for his chattiness, paced up and down
He was a stern looking man, but the
hours of agony he had gone through had
| made him look more so and given him
the hard lines about the mouth. This