The Washington herald., 1907-11-03
CHAPTER IT.

The events which led up to this "duel
In the dark" were simple enough one
evening three young men Of the town Of
Marshall were sitting in Il quiet corner Of
/ The porch Of the village hotel, smoking
/ and discussing such matters as three
educated young men Of a Southern vii
lage would naturally find interesting.
Their names were King, Sanchez. and
/ Rosser. At little distance, within easy
I hearing, but taking no part in the con-
yersati0n. sat a fourth He was a stran-
ger 10 the others. They merely knew
/ that on his arrival by the stage coach
/ that afternoon he had written In the
/ hotel register the name Of Robert Gros-
smith. He had not been observed TO
! speak 10 any one except the hotel clerk He
/ seemed, indeed, singularly fond Of his own
compaHy-or. as the personnel Of the Ad-
/ vance expressed II, grossly addicted 70
evil associations" But then it should be
said in justice 20 the stranger that the
/ personnel was himself Of a too convlvial
/ disposition fairly 10 judge one differently
gifted, and had, moreover. experienced
| a slight rebuff in an effort at an in
| terview."
I hate any kind Of deformity in a
/ woman, said King. whether natural or
--or acquired. I have theory that any
( physical defect has its correIative mental
and moral defect"
i infer. then" said Rosser, graveIy,
! that a lady lacking the advantage Of a
nose would find the struggle to become
Mrs. King an arduous enterprise"
'Of course, you may put II that way
was the reply; but. seriously, I once
threw over a most charming girl on
learning, quite accidentally. that she had
suffered amputation Of a toe. Ny conduct
was brutal II you Ike. but If I had mar
ried that girl, I should have been mis-
cradle and should have made her so"
Whereas, said Sanchez, With a light
laugh, by marrying gentleman Of more
liberal views she escaped with parted
throat"
'Ah, you know to whom I refer. Yes.
/ she married Manton, but l don't know
about his lberality; Tn not sure but he
cut her throat because he discovered that
she lacked that excellent thing in woman,
! the middle toe of the right foot"
Look at that chap" said RoSser. in 2
/ low voice. his eyes fixed upon the
| stranger.
| That chap was obviously listening in
/ tentiy TO the conversation
! Damn his impudence!' muttered King;
what ought We to do?"
That's an easy one" ROsser replied.
/ rising, Sir" ne continued. addressing
] the stranger. y think fl would be better
/ If you would remove your chair 10 the
I other end of the yeranda. The presence
/ of gentlemen is evidently an unfamiliar
situation 10 you"
/ The man sprang TO his feet and strobe
forward with Clenched hands, his face
white with rage. All were now standing
| Sanchez stepped between the belligerents.
! You are hasty and unjust" he said TO
| Rosser; this gentleman has done moth
/ ing 10 deserve such language"
! But Rosser would not withdraw word
/ BY the custom OF the country and the
| time, there cOrld be but one outcome TO
! the quarrel.
! I demand the satisfaction due to a
| gentleman" said the stranger, who had
| become more calm. Il have not an ac-
| qualntance IN this region. Perhaps you.
/ sir, bowling to Sanchez, will be kind
enough TO represent me in this matter -
| Sanchez accepted the trust-somewhat
reluctantly. il must be confessed. for the
mans appearance and manner were not
at all to his liking King, who. during
/ the cOllOquy. had hardly, removed his
/ eyes from the strangers face. and had
| not spoken word, consented with nod
/ to act for ROsSer. and the upshot of IL
was that, the principals having retired. a
meeting was arranged for the next even
| ing. The nature of the arrangements has
| been already disclosed. The duel with
knives in a dark room was once a COM
mouer feature Of Southwestern life than
| it is likely to be again. How thin a
veneering of "chivalry" covered the es-
sentiaI brutality OF the code under which
such encounters were possible, We shall
| see.