The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-08-24
SAVED BY A TRICK

Toward the end of the term | had !
the good luck to be pitted against
Baron Steiger when he had been drink
ing and got the better of him. This
gave me some renown and made Stei- |
ger my bitter enemy.
did not touch a sword again during
my stay at the university, and after
taking my degree l went to Vienna to
see little of life at that capital
had letters to some of the best people
there, and my associates were almost
exclusively Austrian or German. One
evening after attending the opera with
a party of ladies and gentlemen I In
vited them to stop with me at cafe.
While we were there who should come
In but Baron Steiger. He passed close
to me. not speaking to me, but glaring
at me, and as he walked behind my
chair he purposely ran against it.
was at the moment raising glass of
wine to my lips, and part of the wine
was spilled on my shirt front. | was
angry and, acting on foolish but nat
ural impulse, threw what remained in
the glass in his face.
The moment / had done so l realized
that had likely signed my own death
warrant. Steiger would undoubtedly
challenge me, and as had not touched
a sword In two years and he had be-
come famous in its use as we'll as a
merciless opponent must either show
the white feather and be disgraced
among my Vienna friends or-die.
Steiger apOlogized for touching my
chair, declaring that 1t was uninten-
tional, and, raising his hat politely,
passed on. Not one Of my friends but
understood what would follow, and the
party broke up Immediately. l went
to my apartments with a young DR..
Koch, with whom was very intimate.
The challenge came before we sepa-
rated, and l confess l was thrown into
serious mental condition. Since leav-
ing the university Steiger had fought
dozen or more duels and had never
spared his man. DR.. Koch told me to
think no more about the matter or /
would unfit myself to take advantage
OF what slight chance there was for
me; that he had saved a friend Of his
once under similar circumstances and
he would try his plan with me. l
placed my case in his hands, turned in
and after an hour or so fell asleep.
The next evening after dark DR..
Koch came to me and told me that he
had arranged everything and if would
keep my head all would go well with
me. l as the challenged party had the
right to choose the weapons and the
time and place Of the meeting. Acting
for me, DIR. Koch had chosen swords
in dark room. The duel was to take
place Immediately in a room of a third
| party. Without giving me- time to
| dwell on these horrible conditions DR.
Koch hurried me to the meeting place,
| but before entering the rooms IN Ques-
ton he took me to another where a
| gentleman was waiting, to whom was
introduced-"Dr. Seiferth. the most
noted oculist in Europe" The two
doctors at once began TO paint my eyes
with a camel's hair brush that had
been dipped in some liquid. AS soon
as they had finished bandage was
clapped over my eyes and kept there
| for some twenty minutes, when II was
taken off, and we went Immediately to
rooms In the same building where the
meeting was to take place. A few mo-
ments later Steiger and were thrust
into the dark room. and the door was
| closed and locked.
Now, IL is impossible to exclude per
fectly either light or heat from any
| apartment. One might as well attempt
to form a perfect vacuum. Scientifi-
cally speaking. there is no such thing as
a perfect absence of everything from
any given space. The treatment of the
! physicians had enabled me to take ad-
vantage of what light there was in the
room, nearly all Of which came through
an imperfectly fitted door, under which
there was a strip unprotected. Be this
as 1t may, could distinguish the prin-
! cipal objects In the room, including my
enemy. l could not make out his ex-
| preston. but his figure was quite per-
| ceptible, especially his face and hands,
which were lighter than the rest. He
remained perfectly quiet for awhile
when 1 moved, and, hearing the creak-
ing OF my boots, he came toward me-
l glided away, this time without max
ing any sound, and IN another moment
| gave him a cut on the hand which
forced him to drop his sword. Before
he could recover it pricked him from
the other side, which drew him from
where the sword had fallen. and then
I took It up myself.
Baron" said. you are at my mer-
cy. have your sword"
"Finish the murder. That's what 1t
ia. 1t certainly is not dueling."
II have no use for your life. l give
II to you Hello!"
The door was opened, and the party
In the adjoining room entered. had
given Steiger an ugly cut on the hand
and a slight wound in the feshy part
OF his back. These the doctors dressed.
Steiger insisted on a renewal OF the
combat under circumstances that
would enable him to take his revenge.