Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-08-19

The duel was forced on Crosby
French, for, although none ever
doubted his courage, he was non
fighting man. His father had killed
his own brother in a duel and was an
unhappy man till the day he died.
The man with whom he fought.
Claudius Gregg was a fire eater-by
profession, at least for although he
staggered a good deal there was not
duel to his account in which his adj
versary had been able to shoot
straight. He was good shot himself,
but many people said that he had
forced his quarrels only on those who
were likely to be killed by him and
not to kill him. There were other
things against him as we'll as the duel
ing which made him unfit for decent
company. Yet he had the presump-
ton to lift his eyes to Mary LES
TRANCE, and the wickedness to win
her consent to marry him by trick
and a SANDER against the dead.
Any man of sense could have sifted
the story, and found it false; but Har-
vey L'Estranges widow was a gentle,
easily terrified woman. Claudius
Gregg's promises to bestow much
money on her if she forwarded his
marriage with her daughter were re-
ceived with scornful amazement. 1t
was another matter when he produc-
ed the document which made Harvey
L'Estrange, in his grave, a liar, a
cheat and a deceiver of women.
So, in terror Of his publishing the
story to the world, the widow urged
the marriage on the girl yet in her
teens, guileless as lamb, lovely as
an angel, gentle and innocently gay.
and charming in her whole DISPOSE
ton. And the girl consented to save
her dead fathers honor and her
mothers heart from breaking.
But, indeed, she looked like an An
dromeda when Crosby French first be-
held her. And, when his eyes met
her eyes, it seemed to him that the
soul behind them cried out dumbly
to him for deliverance.
There was nothing sophisticated
in him, as there was in the town gal
lants, since re was newly come to
town, and it must be confessed that,
seeing Mary LEstrange sitting op-
posite him, with her purple-faced,
elderly lover by her side, at the sup
per table on the occasion of a Ro-
tunda ball, he stared more than good
manners warranted.
Nor was he aware at all of Clau-
dius Gregg in his mulberry velvet
suit, his cheeks darker than usual be.
cause of anger. Then Claudius Gregg
stood up and flung the glass from
which he was drinking, wine and all,
in the young fellows face.
There was a commotion and in the
midst of it ClaEdius Gregg and the
lady disappeared.
A doctor was sent for to see to
Crosby French's injuries, which seem
ID serious enough. The glass had
smashed on his face, cutting and
almost binding him.
Some benevolent person fetched a
coach, and, after his eyes had been
dressed and bandaged, he was driven
to his lodgings. There was some one
in the coach with him whom at first
he took to be the doctor. When they
had reached the lodgings this person
assisted him to alight, and led him
up the stairs.
"You don't know me-" he said, "but
some one told me who you were.
am Tom Darcy of Grange, from your
own county, and l would not have left
you without a friend to see you
through the affair with Claudius
Gregg"
"You are very kind" said the other.
"But, for the matter of that, l shall
not fight. I have reasons against it."