Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-01-22
CHAPTER vi.
At the Swords Point.


Neil's first emotion was not so much
one of anger as of eXultation. Il shall
have him at my swords point" he
kept saying to himself as he turned
from Hyde to Van Heemskirk's house.
Katherine sat upon the steps of the
stoop Touching her, to arouse her
attention, Neil said, Come with me
down the garden, my love"
She looked at him wonderingly, but
rose at his request and gave him her
hand.
Then the tender thoughts which had
lain so deep in his heart flew to his
lips, and he wood her with fervor
and nobility as astonishing to himself
as to Katherine. He reminded her of
all the sweet intercourse of their hap
Ply lives, and of the fidelity with which
he had loved her. "Oh, my Katherine,
my sweet Katherine! Who is there
that can take you from me?"
mo one will l marry. With my
father and my mother l will stay"
Yes, till you learn to love me as
love you, with the whole soul. You
are to be my wife, Katherine?"
That | have not said"
katherine, is it true that Capt.
Hyde is wearing a bow of your orange
ribbon"
Yes. A bow of my St. Nicholas rib
bon l gave him."
Why"
Me he loves, and him love"
You have more st. Nicholas rib
bons? Go and get me one. Get a bow,
Katherine, and give it to me. l will
wait here for it,"
mo, that | will not do. How false,
how wicked l would be, if two lovers
my colors wore!"
We'll, then, will cut my bow from
Hyde's breast. | will, though l cut
his heart out with it,"
He turned from her as he said the
words, and without speaking to Joris,
passed through the garden gate to his
own home.
In the calm Of his own chamber,
through the silent, solemn hours,
when the world was shut out of his
life, Neil reviewed his position, but
he could find no honorable way out of
the predicament He was quite SEN
sible that his first words to Capt.
Hyde that night had been intended to
provoke a quarrel, and he knew that
he would be expected to redeem them
by formal defiance. However, as
the idea became familiar, it became
imperative; and at length it was with
a fierce satisfaction he opened his
desk and without hesitation wrote the
decisive words:
ITO Capt. Richard Hyde of His Males,
tvs Service:
"Sir-A person of the character
bear cannot allow the treachery and
dishonOrable conduct of which you
have been guilty TO pass without pun
ishment. Convince me that you are
more of gentleman than | have rea
son to believe, by meeting me tonight
as the sun drops in the wood on the
Kalchhook Hill. Our seconds can 10
cate the spot; and that you may have
no pretense to delay, l send by bearer
two swords, of which | give you the
privilege to make choice.
I'm the interim, at your service,
Neil Semple"
He had already selected Adrian
Beekman as his second, a young mar
of wealth and good family. Beekmar
accepted the duty with alacrity, and
indeed, so promptly carried out his
principals instructions, that he feunt
Capt. Hyde still sleeping when h,
waited upon him. Hyde laughed light
ly at "Mr. Semple's impotence of of
Tense" and directed Mr.. Beekman t.
Capt. Earle as his second; leaving tn,
choice of swords and of the grounC
eAtirely to his direction.
Lightly as Hyde had taken the chal
lenge, he was really more disinclinec
TO fight than Neil was In his hear
he knew that Semple had a just caus
OF anger; but then" he argued, "
would not resign the girl for my life
Tor l am sensible that life, If she
another's, win be very tedious thin
20 me"