Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-09-03
A Unique vindiCation.
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IOrisinal.l 1

ginian, went to study at the Univer- mother that he would never fight 3 duel. But Bancroft did not consider t necessary to refrain from joining the fighting corps and engaging in harm less encounters Indeed. there was plenty of fighting material in him in heritcd from his progcnitors, and this was why his mother had cxacted the promise. Her father had been killed in q duel. one of her brothers through reckless exposure in the civil war while another had been shot attempt ing to defend q prisoner from mob These shafts of death, striking so near her. caused her to brood and induced q fear that her only son should fall through q similar cause.
 Bancroft at Heidelberg proved so handy with all sorts of weapons as to distance all competitors save one, a young En%lishmnn na amed HOrcut. The two held the record for being the best swordsmen at the university, and there was Il desire among the students that they should fight for the cham pionship. Bancroft made no obiec- ton to a friendly encounter the vital parts of each disputant being covered according to the corps rules. But ill truth he did not relish even q friendly fight with the EngiShman. who was m ayoWcd hater of Americans.
 When the terms of the fight for the championship came to be arranged HOrcut insisted on certain innovations rendering the affair dangerous. II was suspected by few that he considered Bancroft the better Swordsnan and, judging him to be timid wished to force him to decline the combat. This would give IIorcut the championship without fighting for it or riSkir- to lose it. He would then return to Eng lan,lto enjoy his honors.
 Whether or no this was his object. it was accomplished Bancroft de clincd to fight except under tue rules for friendly contests. liorrln accused him of cowarti"c aud there MaS now nohiug fer him to do but challenge the lrs;i%ller to :9n .'uN ire,erled fight or he eG hg thr r,e .ihei> ot his corps. !r tie, ire to tiahl ci,h for the clF'mpis5ssh' D ~ to EiM Ii ate his; courage. ll.t hr wrote his uiotllcr tlae facts and lcs.,el her tn relpas" him She de lined to do so Besides. friends at home assured Aim tlral she was in q critical physical condition and if anything happened to him il would kill her
 Bancroft neither cared to give his true reason for net fighting nor be lieyed that it would he accepted. IL would have been accepted and he could have sat tised the students of its truth In no country iii the world are parents more beloved and respect ed than in Germany But to convince couple of thousaEd of young men that he was not hiding behind his mothers skirts was out of the Ques- tion.
 So Bancroft finished his university career 1: cut man. though he was burn ing to meet his adversary. When he went home to Virginia. finding that the story had preceded him and pref udiced some people against him, he went to the farther west and engaged in sheep raising. Soon after this his mother died.
 Several years passed. One day Ban croft was treading his way on q path barely q foot wide around the side of d precipiee While doing so he saw a party of toMists coming Persons meeting on ,ile path must pass care fully, the one taking the outside. the other the inside Bancroft was ex- pecting to take the outside when sud denly he recognized in the leading man in the line of tourists his old enemy at the university He was also recognized.
 "Wait there said llorcut. pointing to place where the path widened little "I pass inside" He spoke with his o|d domineeriug tone Ban croft stepped to the spot indicated. saying as he did so.
 T pass inside
 You pass outside, l say" growled Horcut. remembering that Rancroft was a coward
 Are yon armed:a asked Bancroft quietly
 "No.'
 Bancroft took d revolver from his hip and flung il over the precipice. It struck 300 feet below.
 What do you propose:' asked IIor- cut, blanching.
 'To settle Il feud of long StaMding We are about the same build. Ic; one of Us throw the other over. If l am victorious l will pass inside the rest of your party
 Horcut stood aghast. "My God. Nqn. that would be certain death for bo |, of us!''
 "lt would prove us both brave mrn
 Put
 "Wc are keeping your fricnl~ Nsa ing
 The friends were as terrii | aS t.e principals. ThS legged Hor> siot to accept such fearful challenge
 'Do-do I understand" faltered Hor-