Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1910-03-03


Mennerzek, whose spirits were at the
highest, called out to the committee
man who had told him the lady would
join them at coffee to know why she
did not appear.
81 told her. count was the reply.
shat | could not name the exact time
coffee would be served. but thought
1t would be at II O'Clock. She will
be here at that hour"
There was something in this fight.
ing woman connected with the witch
ing hour of night that added to the
zest of her expected entrance A clock
resting on a mantel over n broad fire
place marked the hour. and many were
the glances cast at it by the revelers.
When the hands were near the hour
of II every face was turned toward
the door at which the guest would
enter. The count, who sat facing the
entrance, gave ain order that the door
should be unlocked. This was done,
and the conversation gradually drop
ped off until the clock struck IL, when
It ceased entirely.
few minutes after IL the door was
thrown open by servant, and the
lady stepped into the apartment. Every
man rose.
The woman who was entitled to a
place among these duelists was about
twenty-five years old, of medium
height. a willowy figure and very dark
hair and eyes. She wore a cloak.
which she handed to the servant who
had admitted her. 1t was evident that
she had been beautiful and that her
beauty had been lost by sorrow, for
her face bore unmistakable signs of
having suffered. She advanced to the
vacant chair at the end of the table
opposite the host, and as she seated
herself the others resumed their chairs.
Meanwhile the expression on the
counts face changed to one of serious
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 l have met your
The answer came icy cold:
"On 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 a
woman
You fought one you thought to be
beardless boy. | was that boy"
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 kill you.
One tried to oblige me, but lost his
life in doing so Then I felt that it
was my own time to act. Personating
the brother Of this man who tried to
avenge me, | challenged you and was
carried off the field, as it was sup
posed, mortally wounded"
There was pause. The clock on
the mantel licked loudly in the other
wise silent room. Then the woman
continued:
"As you see, l recovered was plan
ming further effort to punish you for
your many crimes when l 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
oil nho1
l 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 large num-
ber Of expert witnesses to see fair
play"
No one spoke for 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"
81 will not fight woman" said the
count. almost with groan
"You shall fight woman" said the
lady, ''or | 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 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 ac-
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 case Of duel
ing pistols within reach. They were
brought. The count appointed one of
his guests to act for him, and the lady