The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-11

~ his destination at so vigorous J pace that Tom Randall, who confidently expected to dog the others steps, was disagreeably disappointed, for by the time he had gained the first fender of the family had disappeared the latter was nowhere in sight. Fa- miliar with the city and it's environs, the boy possessed knowledge of sev- eral time saving short cuts to the dueling oaks, but this on the present occasion he considered useless, for, ig- norant of the exact spot where the combatants were to meet, there exist cd no alternative but to press on in the wake of Moreau, who he had every reason to believe had taken the famil- far and direct route. Thoroughly im- bued with the desire and expectation of witnessing Ktrby's death and thus in measure glutting his vengeance, young Randall broke into a run, conf dent that on turning each successive corner he would come in sight of the serene and indomitable colonel. But time and distance flew by until at length the tall trees bordering the grove broke upon his vision, and as yet his quarry had not been run to earth.
 Momentarily perplexed and mysd- fied, the boy turned and scanned the way by which he had come. Could he have in some cryptic manner passed the other on the road, or, contrary to all expectation, had Moreau taken the short cut, and was he even now in the grove face to face with Cameo Kirby? For immediate and conclusive answer two pistol shots rattled out. shattering the cool serenity of the morning and sending bevy of frightened rocks circling and cawing high into the breeding blue dome of the heavens. Cursing his i'll luck, young Randall raced furiously toward the distant grove.
 
 Colonel Eoreau. considerably more familiar with the town than Tom Ran- dall, had indeed ayailed himself of the shortest cut possible and one which would lead him directly to that en- trance the situation of which Larkin Bunce had been at pains to explain. No time could be wasted, for Kirby was already there, and to keep an ad- versary waiting smacked not only of cowardice, but was a direct breach of the code regulating such affairs of honor. It was characteristic of Mo- reau that if left to himself he would serenely outrage all codes by shooting man in the back, but that when off, cially entered for a combat-such as iously observed both the spirit and the letter.
 Kirby living meant a serious men, ace; Kirby dead meant security and tighter grip on the spells of the river, a reoccupation of the premier position from which he had been busted. Busi- ness interests and his own life clam ored for Kirby's death. For Bunce. if he grew troublesome, he would &C., count, and he could rely on the latter's remaining true to the code of their professiOn-carrying no tales to the RandaIs, but instead, if he considered fit, fighting out the issue with the slayer of his partner It can thus be seen that Moreau in his usual opti- mistic fashion had the future arrang- ed entirely to his satisfaction.
 Meanwhile he had cautiously entered the shadow of the dueling oaks and. pistol in hand, was slowly threading his way down the path, the weapon cooked and resting across his left fore arm Thanked on either side by the giant trees through which fugitive sunbeams fickered. shooting their small golden arrows of light into the dense and rank undergrowth, he found some difficulty in accurately discern ing distant objects. Although the path was straight. thus obviating any turn ing of angles and consequent sud-