Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-26

NcHiic. CO1'tNcu W nIiIl ItlcnHtHlCaiiy,
he turned into the walk leading down
TO the spring. lie moved easily, with
lazy, swinging stride, ru,hlessly cut
ting at the nearest flowers with cane
which he poised on his shoulder like
sword or swung in front of him as II
fencing.
No sooner had Ronald seen the di-
rection he was taking than he vaulted
over the fence and made his way
through the dcwy grass and weeds into
the wood which interviewed between
him and the spring.
He came upon Wrinkle as that worthy
stood on the fiat stones round the
spring. Tue officer wore his eye
glasses, and had his cigar between his
liups. The grass muf1lcd Ronald's
steps, and as Wrinkle was look
ing towards the house as il expect
hero's presence till he stood beside him.
"Ah!" CALCULATED Wrinkle, rs he
turned. aud then through his glasses he
eyed Ronald coldly from head to foot.
All" he repeated, and then he took a
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 IA second
There is n matter that YOU and
must settle. sir said our hero. calmly
For a moment Wrinkle gazed almost
detiantly at the speaker, then his glance
wavered just little.
"a matter that you and l must set
tle?" he echoed. with faint sheer,
land what is that, my good fellow"
You deliberately drove your horses
against me last night in the road and
have come to demand satisfactiou."
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
"hN hCih IL III IluStIS, ludI uulNCItu
nervously.
II don't want to have trouble with
you" he said.
Then you should not have driven
over me-" answered Ronald, "for not h.
ing under high heaven can avert the
consequences of that cowardy act"
II am not good driver. Mr.. Fem
shaw believe that is your name. sir.
Just as passed your brother my hand
slipped. and"
You are a deliberate liar." Ronald
Interrupted him.
Wrinkle started, paled little and
made 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 lame
pretense of trying to restrain his an
ger.
You must not use insulting words to
me-" he said.
Ronald smiled. "You would not he
so inartistic as to deny that you lied.
Wrinkle. but the fact that you tacitly
admit you are a liar does not satisfy
me. tell yon we have got to settle
this matter right here ard now"
Il don't know what you mean" Win
kle found himself saying. 81 do not
want any trouble with you. I've said
that the-the thing was an accident.
and"
And 7 have said that it was not an
accident. and that | will fight YOU or
have the satisfaction Of knowing YOU
are coward. II 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 aeain)
Won are physically stronger than |
am
Thereupon Ronald drew The TWO re-
volycrs from his pockets and held them
out. II thought that pistols would be
ialr, ne sad. "l on may take your
choice; they are practically the same.
ms IS quiet place; we can have il
over in few minutes. ! have thought
out plan that will be perfectly fair
to both OF MS. The plantation bell will
ring in a few moments: we can get
ready and at its first stroke We may
turn and fire till the revolvers are
empty or one Of us is down."
Wrinkle stared fiXedly.
"Why, that would be deliberate MUIR
DER he pasped, shrinking back step
or TWO from the eXtended reviewers.
SIT would not he any more murder
than death in any duel would bc, Capt.
Wrinkle. If You do not fight ! shall
Know that You are a coward. sir
Then an idea was born in he officers
almost bcnumbcd brain.
Il cannot fight IA man in your po-
sition in--in life" he said. surely you
know what is considered proper"
Ronald's face grew purple with sup
pressed rage.
DO You mean to tell me that YOU
may drive IA carriage over n man in a
public road and then resort TO such "A
petty subterfugc 10 get around the CON
sequences? Capt. Wrinkle, l would
strike you in the face if could keep
from feeling that I was striking
baby"
Wrinkle gave furtive glance towards
the house. He looked slight ~ relieved
rs if he thought 10y the tact con fesson
Of cowardice he was going TO escape
duel, which he feared quite as much
rs death itself.