Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-12

ADDED the duel1SC, MS SnOSC pu1SueS me-
And the Frenchman crossed himself with
devoutnesS.
THOSE in charge Of the matter had select
ed place of sufficient isolation. 1t was
a small opening in the woods, and as the
morning dawned gray and chilly the small
party gathered there, Colonel Trevor as
grave as usual Monsieur lie Compile debonair
and smiling. The surgeon laid out his instru-
ments with professional care. Two other
men, one of them the American boy of the
steamer, stood rigidly upright nearby.
The seconds inspected the weapons in
due formality, and as they did so Captain
Faurette seemed surprised at some discov-
cry, though after brief conference with
Major Burton he expressed himself as sat
isfed. Periet stripped to his shirt and stood
forward in all the 1.-THE muscularity that
years of swordplay had given him. AS he
was deliberately turning back his sleeves
over sinewy fore arms his second asked him
some question in low tone, and despite his
previous outward show of courtesy the in
herent quality of the bully gained momen-
tary supremacy. The duelist raised his
voice loud enough to carry across the narrow
intervening space of dewy sod to the ears of
his antagonist.
II feel entirely we'll, thank you, mon ami,
and it gives me much contentment that l
shall this morning kill another Yankee"
The words went with sneering laugh,
and the man who had been a cadet at New
market Redeemed to his cheekbones; but he
gave no indication of having heard. Only
when the men walked out to the marked
spot did he address the other, and then it
was in a voice as self contained as that which
had governed his talk in the smokeroom.
eff you please, Monsieur lie Compile he
said, "you are in error" His eyes broke
into blaze for moment and the years since
Lees surrender were forgotten. l am not
a Yankee. l am Scottish Virginian, and
whether or not you kill me is to be demon
strated."
The Frenchman made low bow, and his
smile tilted the waxed ends of his mustache
more aggressively upward. Il felicitate
Monsieur lie Colonel upon his optimism"
Across the meadows the morning mist
was hanging wet and raw. The line of chest
nut trees at Colonel Treevor's front were
dripping heavy dew. His hand, hanging at
his side, held the weapon loaded with single
charge. Behind him stood his adversary
balancing himself on the ball of his right
foot, his weapon nicely nesting in his palm,
his finger on the trigger his attitude one of
alertness, readiness.
The older man was thinking back. Never
had he shed blood unless on the field of battle.
Perhaps that was why his thoughts now
went back to the wheat fields with feecy
clouds of shells bursting overhead and the
drum of rifle fire and booming of artillery to
the front. 1t would seem that his fighting
came at the beginning and the end of life.
Then he Strengthened as he heard the
words of the counting.
"One-two-three! Fire!"
A he came about Trevor heard the sharp
1 bark of Periet's pistol and felt sting
along the ribs at his left side. He knew that
the other had fired a fraction too impetu-
ously; that had he waited moment longer
the shot would have been fatal; but that as
it was it struck its human billet before it
had turned to face him fully and had in
ficted nothing more than glancing wound.
On Periet's face sat an expression of sur
prise. He had been quite sure!
Colonel Trevor did not at once raise his
own weapon. There was time enough.
He stood for moment gazing at his adj
versary, his own pistol still hanging at his
SIDE Across the Frenchman's face came a
sudden look of establishment. Monsieur lie
Compile de Periet had fought men on vari-
Gus fields; but he had never before stood
facing an executiOner who cruelty took his