The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1903-01-22

such grave responsibilities upon him
and also for keeping secret from him
the fact that have done So"
The will was drawn and executed i'm
mediately before Pendleton departed
for Mexico, and only the lawyer who
drew it and Pendleton himself were
aware of it's contents. Inasmuch as
Burr Pendleton had no near relatives,
the will was probated without objec- I
ton, and Craig Wyndham found him
self suddenly a very rich man.
In the meantime he met Escudera
frequently at the club, on the street
and in divers places. Indeed it seemed
to him that it was the intention of the
Mexican to throw himself constantly
in his way, but between them on the
occasion of such meetings there was
always exhibited the utmost cordially.
Escudera retained his quasi member
ship in the club, and always Wyndham
watched him furtively while he await
ed replies to certain inquiries he had
sent out to Mexico and to other places.
1t seemed to him that Escudera had
the air of one who was killing time as
best he could while he awaits the hap
pening of some expected event. but
what that event might be Wyndham
could not even conjecture.
The interview between Wyndham
and old James had taken place - in
fact, several of them-but at this point
it is necessary only to refer to one of
them.
They had, as usual at such times
been engaged in discussing the Incl
dents that had happened to Pendleton
in Mexico and for the third or fourth
time referred to the duel. Wyndham
had already connected the name of Ro-
nero with that of Escudera and was
of the opinion the two were related.
did you ever see the man with
whom your master fought the duel?"
he asked of James.
Yes, sir; I saw him two or three
times"
did the man who was with Mr..
Penlleton the evening we found him
resemble the duelist at all?'
mot at all, that I remember
Nov, James, go back to the moment
you first knew that duel was to be
fought. How did you know about it,"
"Mr. Burr told me-"
TELL me how he told you; tell me
just what he said"
He asked me if 1 remembered an
incident that occurred one afternoon
on the Paseo when he defended a lady
from the attentions of man who had
offended her. p
TELL me about that incident, James,"
eve were on the Paseo together,
walking. l was few feet behind Mr..
known as the Indian Stat,.t. wash
located rather farther up the aycuu
than pedestrians usually go. A little
way in advance of US was a lady and
her maidservant. When we got near
the statue, Il man appeared suddenly
from behind it or one of the big cypress
trees, l don't know which. He walked
rapidly toward the lady. and she stop
ped still, as if she were frightened, but
l do not know if that was the reason,
although l think it must have been"
what time of day was that, James|'
"About 5 o'clock in the afternoon
The sun was shining, and there were
hundreds of people within call; so
do not think the man really meant any
thing like violence"
"Well, go ahead. What happened
then?"
'"The lady was hundred feet or 50
In O1X Of hn
fronted her We We're walking slowly
toward them. Whether Mr.. Pendleton
was looking at them or not | do not
know. but | was. for thought the ac-
tons Of both rather strange. | noticed
that they talked rather eXcitedly and
that they seemed to be known to each
other In the meantime we were draw
ing nearer to them. We had almost
reached them when the lady turned
suddenly away, as if to leave the man.
and he reached out and seized her by
the arm.
"That was more than Mr.. Pendleton
could stand, as you know, sir. He
stopped instantly, raised his hat, adj
dressed the lady in Spanish, as though
he had known her all his life, and at
the same time utterly ignored the man.
AS for him, he hesitated an instant, and
l never saw such a fiendish expression
on the face of a man as that which
swept over his at that instant. But he
did not say word. Instead he turned
away and walked rapidly down the av-
enuc.
"The lady murmured a few words to
Mr.. Pendleton. l think they were
words of thanks. He raised his hat,
said two words in reply. and we con-
tinued on our way.
THAT. sir, is all there was of that
incident, but the man who afterward
insulted my master and thus compelled
him to send a challenge was the same
man, Captain Romero, who is called
the deadliest duelist in Mexico; so you
see, sir, there must have been some
connection between the two affairs"
Undoubtedly, James,
"And now, sir, if you will permit me
to surmise little, have an idea" i
"Let me hear it, by all means"
"The evening before the duel Mr..
Pendleton was busy for some time pre-
pairing his affairs. Then he went out.
ostensi5ly to the opera, but I know he
did not go there, for about midnight
or little after Captain Agramonte,
who was to be his second, called and