The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-08-29
HowShe WasW Won
1Original.l

mindin came to New Orleans from
Paris. He had fought sixteen duels
and had killed nine of his antagonists.
Friends or relatives of his victims had
several times sought to take life for
life, but they had all been wounded
or killed. The truth was that Normin-
din was so skilled in all weapons, so
especially fitted with eyes, delcacy of
touch and nerve, that he was invinci-
BILE
One evening Normindin was sitting
with friends in a cafe adjoining hall
where masked ball was in progress.
A man dressed to represent Mephis-
topheles and wearing mask entered,
walked straight up to the table where
Normindin was seated, took up a glass
of wine standing on the table before
the duelist and threw it in his face.
Normindin paled This was the first
time in his life that he had been thus
deliberately ihsulted. Wiping the wine
of his face, he half arose and asked:
''Who are you, sir?"
HsThe devil
stake off your mask"
@That l will do when I have killed
you. You shall look upon my face as
you pass below to my Kingdom"
II do not fight with unknown per-
sons
You shall do so now or / will kill
yon where you sit"
'.And If fight?"
81 will kill! you anyway"
Those sitting about noticed that Nor
mindin was not his usual self. At
tempting to look unconcerned he put
lbs thumb and finger on the stem of
Wineglass and raised, 1t to his lips.
His hand trembled.
when and where can my seconds
Ind your" he asked of his enemy.
Nov and here" Turning to two
gentlemen in. evening dress who had
entered with him, he added, "These
will accommodate you" Then he
went and sat down at table In
corner of the room while the arrange
ments were being made Normindin
wished delay, but the stranger said
SNOW" Normindin, however, though
the challenger, was allowed the choice
Df weapons. for his enemy said that
since he was going to kill him it
nade no difference with what weapon
he did the deed This added to Nor
mindin's loss of nerve. He had In
tended to choose a short sword, with
which few persons were practiced and
with which he was an expert, but he
had never before known a case where
the challenger had been given the
choice of weapons. This was supreme
Indifference.
Within an hour after the insult had
been given the principals were fight
ing in a large unfinished room form
ing the whole top story of dwelling
house, lighted by lamps. The stranger
still wore his devils dress and was
masked. Short swords were in the
hands of both adversaries. The stran-
ger showed skill in fencing, but not
extraordinary skill. Normindin was
plainly out Of nerve This made an
even contest of it. They fenced for
some time without either getting the
advantage But there was a certain
spring in the stranger which increased,
while NOrmindin was heavy and grow
Inc heavier. There was something
uncanny in the devils costume. The
mouth of the mask was cut to repre-
sent leer, and through two holes
above a pair of glittering eyes looked
out, it seemed to Normindin, in ma
licious triumph.
'You can't kill me, nor I you," said
Normindin presently. ''It is a draw"
Normindin's seconds looked at each
other in surprise.
81 shall kill you," replied the other
confidently.
@When"
aNow"
Gathering his strength, he made
dunge and showed his sword up to the
hilt in Normindin's breast. AS Nor
mindin fell the stranger took off his
mask
ST am the friend" he said, "of young
Alphonse MERCER, the last of your vic
Tins. In killing him you broke the
heart of the young girl to whom he
was engaged l determined to avenge
her. I knew you to be only vulnerable
through your nerve. Il have attacked
your nerve and have beaten you. am
but a fair swordsman."
Normindin made no reply, for he
was dying. He continued to stare at
the speaker till his eyes became glaz-
ed Then the latter, handing his
weapon to his second, got into car
Rage and was driven away.
This was neither the first nor the
last act in a drama of which it was
part. The first is this:
Alphonse MERCER a young man who
had just come of age. wooed and won
Eugene Lefevre, the daughter of
wealthy cotton broker of New Orleans.
Another sutton was Captain Roswell
Tracy of the United States engineers,
ON duty in the Crescent City and fif-
teen years older than MERCER. When
Tracy heard that his successful rival
had fallen a victim that NOrmindin
might keep up in New Orleans the
role he had played in Paris, he began