New-York tribune., 1910-06-12

added the QuellSU, Ills SIIOSL pIlI94Co NM
And the Frenchman crossed himself with
devOutneSS.
THOSE in charge of the matter had select
eda place of sufficient isolation. twas
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 le COmpte debOna1r
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 d1SCOv-
erv. though after a brief conference with
Major Burton he expressed himself as sat
isfied. Periet stripped to his shirt and stood
forward in all the 1.-THE musCularity that
wears of swor,1p1av had given him. As he
was deliberately turning back his sleeves
over sinewv fore arms his second asked him
some question in a low tone. and despite his
previous outward show of courtesy the IN
herent quality of the bully gained mOmen-
tarv supremacy. The dueliSt raised his
voice loud enough to carry across the narrow
intervening space of dewy sod TO the ears OF
his antagonist.
Il feel entirely VII, thank you, mon ann,
and it gives me much COntentment that l
shall this morning Kill another Yankee
The words went with a 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 1t
was in a voice as self contained as that which
had governed his talk in the SnOkerOOm-
IF YOU please, Monsieur le COmpte, he
said, You are in error" His eyes broke
into blaze for a moment and the years since
Lees surrender were forgotten. - | am not
a Yankee | am Scottish Virginian, and
whether or not YOU kill me is to be demon
strated.'
The Frenchman made a low bow, and his
smile tilted the waxed ends of his muStaChe
more aggreSsively upward. Il felicitate
Monsieur le 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 a 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
Idd he SneU DlOOU unless on Jtlc UGlQ or DaJtlc.
Perhaps that was why his thoughts now
went back to the wheat fields with feecv
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-threei Firel'
a ) he came about Trevor heard the sharp
bark of Periet's pistol and felt a sting
along the ribs at his left side. He knew that
the other had fired 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 IL
had turned to face him fully and had in
tlictcd nothing more than glancing wound.
On Perict'S face sat an expression of sur
prise. He had been quite surel
Colonel Treevor did not at once raise his
own weapon. There was time enough
He stood for a moment gazing at his adj
verSary, his own pistol still hanging at MS
side Across the EreDCbroao'S f,r.. t.-trr,.. a,