The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-12-21
Her Champion.
lOriginall

lOriginaI.l
Miss Wedgewood. an American girl
travelling abroad. found il necessary to
journey from London To Paris attend
ed only By her maid. On reaching
Calais she was ushered into compart-
ment already occupied by two English
men who, from the dress and the airs
they put on. might be London sweIIs
Before the train started q third man
entered. took a seat at the farther end
OF tie compartment from Miss Wedge
wood. opposite the swells and. taking
periodicals and newspapers from his
pocket. began to read. He did not even
glance at Miss WedgewoOd. who ap-
preciated his not doing SO inaSmuch
as the swellS stared IT her continually
No sooner had the train started than
they began to discuss her in Indifferent
Spanish. Miss Wedgewood spoke
French. German. Spanish and Ital-
ian. This is what they said. translated
into London English:
she's vewy pwetty." said one
Fl ma wdlna WISHES Amewican.
saw Cleveland on her twunk. That's
somewhere in Amewica. | believe.
They haven't the generations of re-
finement over there to make beauty"
Look at the way she does her hair"
And the hat. It's last seasons
make. l fawncy she's rich, but new to
fashion,
Miss WedgewOOd noted a lowering
on the brow of the gentleman sitting
opposite her critics. indicating that he
not only understood Spanish. but that
their criticisms annoyed him. He held
newspaper before him SO that the
men opposite could not see his face.
though ii was visible TO Miss Wedge
wood. occupying a different position.
He glanced aside as though desiring
to satisfy himself of the justice of
their structures. but Miss Wedgewood,
fortunately. she considered ii, was at
the time just turning her eyes from
his side Of the coach to her own, as
Stunning an imperturbable eountenance,
apparently unconscious of what was
going on.
bGhuOhAg sChlIt.huh " lO W a
reading lowered his paper and adj
dressed the critics in Spanish.
Gentlemen. | am surprised that
Englishmen. whom l judge by appear
| ances to belong to the upper classes
should criticise a lady"
One of the men addressed apologized
stating that they had supposed no one
in the compartment understood them
The other seemed inclined to resent
| the strangers interference.
Il wish you to understand. SIR" he
said. that a bit Of private converse
ton between two gentlemen is not a
! matter for remark by third person
You are very impudent to object,
would have you know, sir"
Very well. sir" said the other. PRO
| coed to make a cad of yourself. only
| don't go so far as TO force me to take
the lady under my protection" AND
he resumed his reading.
The man who had last spoken re
| sumed his remarks about Miss Wedge
wood, making them far broader aaC
bolder than before. Miss Wedge
woods champion again laid down hi:
paper and said:
The presence of the lady renders al
insult impracticable. Will you kindly
consider yourself insulted" And. frs
| glancing at Miss Wedgeweod to SEE
that she was not observant. he tossed
his glove at the man: then, drawing {
| card from his pocket. handed it to him
Before looking at it the man handed
him one of his own cards.
"Count Lichtenstein" exclaimed tn,
Englishman.
And you. | perceive, are Lord Bat
| terton. | will be ready TO receive an!
friend your lordship may send at th'
Grand hotel within two hours afte
our arrival In Paris"
81 know you by reputation-the repu
tation you made at your universit.
with the small sword-but as the chal
lenged party | prefer pistols. ! will
teach you Germans, whose counts ar
as plentiful as tram drivers in London
that you can't have your own wa.
with a British nobleman."
Any NtdpOu Ou prefer, l-OIu Dd'
terton." And the count resumed hi
reading as though nothing Of conse
quence had happened. Batterton in
structed his companion, Mr.. Older
shaw, to act for him, and the coun
agreed 70 a meeting at a spot nea
Versailles at 6 o'clock on the mornin
after their arrival in Paris. Older
shaw was TO visit the counts friend
Edward WedgewoOd, an American, an
with him arrange the minor details.
The most astonishing part Of thi
singular affair, every word of whic
Miss WedgewoOd understood. was tina
her defenders second was 10 be be
own brother. When the preliminarie
were all settled she turned to the pal
ties in question.
Gentlemen" she said in excellen
Spanish. there is no occasion for thi
quarrel. If needed 10 be championeC
my brother. Mr.. Wedgewood. woul
be the person TO see me righted. Coun
LichStenstein, now | think of it, / hav
! heard my brother speak Of you as
/ n