The daily morning Alaskan. (Skagway, Alaska) 1899-1904, 1903-03-05
SAVED BY
AN ARTLFICE
torianaLl


the dueling corps. In the corps was
young Baron Steigcr. who was eOnsid.
cred the best swordsman az the uni
vcrsity.
Toward the end Of the term I had the
good luck 70 be pittcd against Baron
Stcigcr when he had been drinking and
got the better OF him. This gave me
some ryaown aud made Steiger my BIT
ter enemy.
did not touch a sword again during
my stay "a, the university. and after
taking my degree went to Vienna to
see a little OF life az that capital I bad
letters Co some OF the best people there,
and my associates were almost eX-
clusivcly Austrian or German. one
evening after attending the opera With
a party OF ladies and gentlemen l In
yitcd thcm 90 sup with me az cafe
While we were there who should come
in but Baron Steigcr. He passed close
90 me- not speaking TO me. but glaring
at me- aud as he walked behind my
chair De purposcly ran against IT, l
was at the moment raising a glass OF
wine 90 my bps. aud a part Of the wine
was spilled ou my shirt front I was
au-ry ana. acting on a foolish but
natural impulse, threw what remained
lu tlc glass iu his face.
The moment I had done 50 / realized
that 1 bad lEeiy s.gued my own death
warrant Stc.Gcr would undoubtedly
tlauou-c me-. aud as I had not touched
O. sword u two years and he had be
c.u. Guous iu lts use. as well as a
msrt.'.,> opponent. must either show
che white feather aud be dsgraced
amo.- ms Vienna friends or-die.
Stt.-e- apo'O-lzed for touching my
chair. declaring that IL was unlnten-
tauaL and. raising his hat politely
passed 5u. Not one OF my friends but
understood what would follow, and the
party broke mp Immediately. l went
TO- uy apartments with a young DR.
Koch. with whom was very intimate
The challenge came before we Sepa.
ratc,L suJ I confess I was thrown into
90 serious mental condition. Since le0v-
ue Che university Stcigcr had fought
o. L01.u Ur more lue,s and bad never
spared bis uln. pr Koch told me 20
tl.ng uo more. about the matter or /
would uaGt myself TO take advantage
OF WHAT slight chance there was Tor
me: tlat be bad saved a friend Of his
once under similar circumstances and /
Dc would try L.s plan with me. placed /
my ease iu lls hands turned In and
after aa hour 0g SO feil asleep.
The next evening after dark DR..
Koch came TO nae and told me that he
had arrlu-cJ everything and II I would
Keep ms head au would 20 well with
me. as the challenged party had the
right 90 choose the weapons and the
time auI place OF the meeting. Acting
for me- ur Koch had chosen swords
In dark room. The duel was TO take
place Immediately In a room OF third
party. Without giving me time 70
dwell on these horrible conditions Dr.
Koch hurried me 20 the meeting place.
but before entering the rooms In ques-
ton Do took me 90 another where a
gentleman was waiting. to whom /
was IuroducCd-"Dr. Siefer.h. the
most noted oculist 10 Europe" The
two doctors Gt once began 70 paint
my eyes with "a camers hair brush that
had been dipped en- some liquid. As
soon MS they had finished q bandage
was ciapDcd over my eyes and kept
there Cor some twenty minutes. when
&c was taken OK. and we went immedi.
atg'y t0 rooms m the same building
where tdc meeting was to take place.
A few moments later Steiger and
were thrust into the dark room, and
thc door was closed aud locked
Vow. DO is impossible 20 exclude per
fceIy either U-ht or heat from any
apartment one might as well attempt
20 f1-m O. perfect vacuum. Scientific
ais speaking there is no such thing as
q perfect absence OF everything from
ans given space. The treatment OF the
physicians bad enabled me to take adj
vantage OF what light there was In the
room. nearly aii OF which came through
an m.5rflctIy lifted door, under which
Their, was @ strip unprotected. Be this
- mage |"aANA NaAHaAaA L AAa7'aA hstN go
r.ual objects ln the room, including my
cncmv. Z could not make out his ex-
preston. but bis figure was quite per
ccr.UIc. especially his face and hands.
which were lighter than the rest He
remained perfectly quiet Tor awhile.
whom Q moved and. hearing the creak.
me OF a.r BOOTS Dc came toward me
I c..IsI away. this time without max
ne ans sound aud in another moment
gave Dim cut on the hand which
forced lm Co drop his sword Before
De could recover Dc prickcd him from
the other side. which drew him from
where tlc sword had fallen, and then
] took 10 up myself
Baron Q said. you are at my
m..y t.vc - r- sword"
~l.r.,I tle l.u.cr That's what is
IL certainly 's ua, duciug."
Cd L.ee uo use for your lie. l give
&c Oh 500. L..o.'
The door was opened. and the party
I'm the adjoining room entered I had
given Stgi1cr an ugly cut on the hand
aud q SLIGHT wound in the deshy part