Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-26

count Iace ctaHSeu 10 one or SeMDtS
and eager curiosity. He was the first
naturally the first since he was the
/ last-to speak.
Your face is familiar to me. madam.
May ! ask where have met you?"
The answer came icy cold:
ION the field It's TO my encounter
with you that / am entitled TO the
honor of place among you here
Pardon me: have never fought
woman"
You fought one you thought to be
| beardless boy. was that boy
I The count started. a slight pallor
overspread his face. The woman con-
/ tinued:
The duel you fought before that.
count, was with my husband the day
after our marriage. offered my for
tune to any man who would xiii you.
One tried to oblige me. bat lost his
life In doing so. Then | felt that 1t
was my oUn time to act. Personatine
the brother OF this man who tried to
avenge me. ! challenged you and was
carried off the field. as it was sup
posed, MORALLY wounded"
There was a pause. The clock on
the mantel licked loudly in the other
wise silent room. Then the woman
continued:
'As you see, Erecovered. | was plan
ming further effort to punish you for
your many crimes when / heard that
you were about TO retire from the duel
ing field. l secured an invitation here
In order that you might grace your re-
tirement with one more victim. have
a proposition
The count continued to stare at his
only woman guest, but did not speak.
Gentlemen" continued the lady. 81
have no formal challenge for our host
1 simply request that we be furnished
with pistols and that some one of your
number will give us a signal. We can
do so as we sit and with a large num-
Der of expert witnesses to see fair
play"
No one spoke. for a few moments:
then the man on the hosts right said:
Gentlemen. you hear the lady's prop
osition. 1t seems to me that we are
in honor bound to accord her the oppor-
tunity she asks provided our host con-
sents to her terms"
'I will not fight a woman" said the
count. almost with a groan.
You shall fight a woman" said the
lady, "or L will post you as a coward
all over the capital"
All looked toward the count. 1t
seemed that he read the hand of fate
In the coming OF this woman whose
life he had wrecked. He sat irresO-
lutte, as If trying to make up his mind
what to do, whether to sacrifice her
or himself. There were too many wit
nesses for him to act any other part
than that Of a man. He could not kill
a woman before them, especially one
he had so injured. If he did not kill
her she would kill him. He must &C.
cept one or the other Of these alterna-
tives
Come. count" said his friend on
his right. "what is your decision"
Bring the pistols" he replied In a
scarcely audible voice.
A smile of triumph lighted the face
OF his adversary.
One Of the guests who was to stand
as second in an affair to come off in
the early morning had a case Of duel
ing pistols within reach. They were
brought. The count appointed one of
HIS EuGSLS W at 1OE anu lhG Ad0g
appointed another 10 act for her.
But such action was superhuous.
The count knew that he was doomed
and it mattered not whether he was
or was not properly served. AS for
the lady, she cared not for her life
provided she could kill the man who
had slain her husband almost at the
very bridal.
The pistols having been examined.
one was handed to the count. the
other to the lady. One of the guests
rose from his chair. holding a hand
kerchief in his hand.
Are you rcady?" he asked.
Ready" said the lady in a firm
voice.
The count gave the speaker look
TO signify that he was ready.
The handkerchief futtered TO the
table A single shot rang out. The
count fell dead. His weapon had not
been discharged.