Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-08

and, having the right as the chal-
! lenged party to choose the weapons,
| he chose pistols. Langstaf was sent
back to say that the distance must be
| five PAGES. Forshay. thinking this was
/ a bluff, consented. He doubtless exc
| pected after this TO receive an apology.
! If this were so he was to be disap-
| pointed.
E'itZ Hugh was not a party to these
details, they having been attended to
by Langstaff under instructions from
| Mrs. Stewart. The youngster had got
! an inkling as to the real cause under
| lying the affair, and his southern
blood was hot for the meeting. His
mother remained tranquil. neither at
tempting to encourage nor quiet him.
The night before the duel was to
come off Mrs. Forshay after her son
was in bed went into his room to bid
him goodby.
"Why. mother" he said, won't you
be up when 1 leave in the morning."
Yes, dear boy; I'll be UP before you.
but prefer to say goodby to you in
case we are separated by this villain
| now. But first / wish you to take
something to give you a good nights
sleep. All depends on a steady nerve,
and since you were a little boy loss
of sleep has made you nervous the
following day"
After much persuasion Fitz Hugh
took the dose she offered him. She
held him a long while in her arms,
then, giving him the farewell kiss, left
him.
At o'clock in the morning Mrs.
Stewart arose, went into her sons
room and put on the clothes he had
laid out to wear in the duel-all black.
Then she kissed him-she did not fear
to awaken him, for she had given him
an opiate-and went to the door to
meet Langstaff, who was riding up to
the house Entering the carriage, she
was driven to the field where Forshay
and his second, with surgeon, stood
waiting.
Instead of mask Mrs. Stewart wore
a blue veil, covering her face to the
chin and tied behind, so as to conceal
her long hair. Langstaff. who was
DESTROYS to save one whom he sup
posed to be his young friend, Fitz
Hugh, approached Forshay's second
with a proposition for settlement that
would clear all parties from any stig-
ma. Forshay declined to accept 1t.
Every WELL" said Langstafr; 'if you
are determined to kill this boy prom
Use you that you will have to go back
to the state you came from, for you
will not be welcome here"
When Forshay was convinced that
the five PAGES which were to separate
the combatants was not a blum he
made a protest through his second, In
sisting that fighting at such distance
was murder or suicide. Langstaff re-
ported the matter to his principal, who
said firmly that they would fight at
five PAGES or not at all. Forshay re-
luctantly consented-indeed, he must
either consent or be branded as a
coward This close range was intend
ed by Mrs. Stewart to prevent the
meeting if that were possible. but If
Forshay was not thus to be driven off
the field she had no idea of the con-
test being given up and had another
motive in being close TO her antago-
mist.
The two seconds, stood together on
one side and equidistant from the prin-
cipals, Iangstaff holding n handker-
chief He raised it and held it sus-
pended for few seconds prior to Civ
ing the signal by dropping 1t. During
this brief interval Mrs. Stewart raised
her left hand and lifted her veil. ex-
posing her face on that side which
was farthest from the seconds. For
shay recognized her and changed col
or. Before he could determine what
Il h. =. .,l,N toe
fioated down from Langstaff's hand.
Forshay sprang up on his toes and
fell dead with bullet in his heart.
Mrs. Stewart walked with a firm
step to her carriage and was driven
toward her home, Walter Langstaff
beside her. For few minutes she lay
back in the corner Of the carriage,
then. turning her face toward Lang
staff, raised her veil.
Great heavensr
There was silence between the two
for a time: then Langstaff asked:
"Why did you do this?'
at was the only way to save my
boy"
But was It necessary to kill your
eneny?"
les dllSI uln GApGuichL VI AuSlSNlbE
on close range failed must kill him."
"Why?'
"If 1 had not the affair would have
gone on till one Of the two had killed
the other, and my son would have
been the one to die. AS it. is he viii
consider himself demeaned that his
mother should have done the work
which should have fallen to him."
Langstaff was silent for a moment.
then said sadly:
IF 1 had known that you were to
fight this battle should have insisted
ON taking it upon myself"
When Fitz Hugh Stewart awoke the
sun stood high. His mother approach
ed his bed. He started up.
Lie down, my boy; it's all over"
And she told him what she had done.
To this day no one in that section
knows that it was a woman instead of
a boy that gave Forshay his death