Greene County herald., 1906-06-08

on the defensive only, for I heard
echoes of soft voice saying, "Pro-
mise me you will not hurt him!" Gas
ton was pressing me down the piste,
l battling my retreat pace by pace
before his mad onslaught. De Courcel
followed with his stick half upraised,
scanning our sword arms with those
narrow eyes of his, to see if one of us
were touched; mere sword prick on
the wrist or forearm would suffice to
terminate the duel The sun was gold
en- on Gaston's fair hair; his face was
flushed with the excitement, his eyes
were intensely bright, as though in
triumph. l pointed my sword at his
heart, and then-it seemed that he
lunged forward-the sun went out for
me, there was a hiss OF voices.
| was standing over CASTOR, who
had dropped back into the arms of his
seconds; the scarlet blot on his white
shirt, little above the heart; his
sword was on the sand. | say, the
sun seemed to go out as my cousin
whom loved, twisted his body in pain
and gasped out his young life swiftly.
wish 1 could put down the feelings
that overcame me at that moment. The
quick stream of pain and agony that,
starting from my brain, rushed
through every nerve of my body. Here
in the sunlight | had killed the one |
loved. In fair duel, said an inner
voice, in extenuation. But / knew
that l was the stronger, the better
duelist, that it was sheer folly of my
cousin to have ever dreamed of worst
ing me. | had even wounded Bras
seur, the Name of God hero of a hun
dred duels.
l flung my sword aside, and pushed
through the crowd that surrounded
my cousin. / caught his lifeless hand,
and kissed it, with the foolish idea
that l might be able to kiss him back
to life again. They bore him into the
little waiting room and covered him
with a sheet. The crowd drifted
silently away, and entered the room
and flung myself at the foot of the
couch where CASTOR was lying. A hand
touched my shoulder, and | looked up
1t was De Courcel. His voice was
husky as lie spoke: ''You could not
help it, mon ami He rushed on your
point" l covered my face with my
hands, and De Courcel stole away, too
How long l was there do not know,
but suddenly l heard the silken noise
of woman's skirt, and / turned and
ssw Louise Desterre.
ft seemed that she knew of Gas
toms death. How she knew I did not
trouble to guess. Perhaps she had
been waiting outside the dueling place.
Her face was white, drawn and terri
BILE, as she pushed me roughly aside,
and threw herself upon the dead body,
entwining her fingers in the fair hair,
calling CASTOR by all the old love-
names. Then she rose and turned on
me in scorn. / fiinched before the
words she hurled at me. "Oh, you
coward" she whispered in voice that
was like the hiss of snake. How
could you have been so cruel-to kill
him-he was so young-and did no
harm?"
"T-I-did not mean To- / began
stammeringly.
You have killed him, and the Vir-
gins curse be on you!" she. cried.
do you think | did not love him?"
| answered in agony.
You killed him!" she retorted
my beautiful Gaston!'
IF l could atone" | mumbled
"Atone!" she answered, and her
eyes were stars of flame. You shall
atone You shall dig his grave, and
he shall be buried here!"
rose to my feet in horror What
do you mean?" | asked.
81 mean what / say. You shall dig
his grave | will have him buried
here-where he fell =
Now, up to this point everything
had seemed within the reach of possi-
bility, yet when Louise Desterre COM
manded me to dig a grave for my
cousin | began to think | was dream
ing. "Pshaw!" / said. "'Tis dream
after ALL and tried to awaken, but
always saw the still, white form OF
CASTOR, and / knew tnat all this had
happened. | went, strangely calm in
my mind, to the place where we had
fought, and. uader he sapling at one
end of the track. | knelt down and
commenced to tear at the gravel.