Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-09-21
any duty that would Interfere with ITS

settlement. Would she ask her cham
pion to name an early date place.
weapons and other details?
A reply came that she felt a delicacy
in the identity of the man who was to
defend her being known; therefore she
stipulated that he should fight masked
The time would be that evening at sun
set, in q clearing back of her fathers
house, the weapons to be cavalry
swords. There were to be no seconds
Her slave, Jim. who bore her messages,
would be present as a witness.
To the masking Arbuckle declined to
assent unless assured that her cham
! pion was not a blood relative, and
when thus assured he agreed to be on
hand at the appointed hour
He found his enemy waiting for him.
The man was tall and slender, being
dressed in citizens costume of the day,
a broad tailed cutaway coat and
breeches. buff waistcoat white stock
| ings, large shoe buckles and a pow.
| dered peruke His mask was of black
velvet. with lace at and below his
mouth.
| Jim, the colored slave. stood near
with a sabcr under an arm and
| small box containing articles to stop
! the flow of blood in the other. He
handed Arbuckle saber. and the lat
| ter advanced to the spot where his
enemy was standing. But before put
ting himself in posture for defense
he said to jim:
"In case l am denied an opportunity
to crave your mistress pardon by be-
ing killed in this fight l desire you to
assure her that had 1 lived would
have done so.
"I'll do dat, sah," said Jim, 40
reckon yo' gwine fo' to get killed. De
man wild de udder sword mighty fine
fencer. He killed.
A suppressed exclamation of dissat-
isfaction from the champion stopped
this attempt to frighten the captain.
and the principals in the affair, ad-
vancing toward each other. began to
fence. Notwithstanding Jim's enco-
NUNS the unknown at once proved
! himself no match for his opponent.
Arbuckle. perceiving this. stood strict
ly on the defensive, not desiring that
blood should be spilled in such a
cause.
He was beginning to be amused at
the bungling thrusts and parties made
by his opponent when an accident hap
pened at an unlucky moment. Just
as the masked man was making one
of his awkward thrusts Arbuckle's
foot caught in a creeping vine, and he
fell forward on the point of his adver-
sary's sword. which, entering his right
side Just below the arm pit. inflicted
q flesh wound.
A cry came from the champion. Not
masculine cry; it was like woman's
shrek. Throwing away his saber, he
stopped and lifted his enemy in his
arms. Arbuckle. more interested in
the champions identity than his
wound, pulled off the mask and eX-
posed the features of Margaret Rim
! gold
The two looked at each other for
few moments without speaking; then
Arbuckle, Selling Margaret's hand.
kissed it respectfully. exclaiming
Forgive me!'
Meanwhile Jim was hurrying for
ward, opening the box of materials for
stanching blood. Arbucllle assured
Margaret that his wound was of no
Importance. threw off his coat, opened
his waistcoat and exposed his shirt
saturated with blood. Margaret trem-
blingly applied lint and wound band
age to hold it in it's place. Then she
told Jim to go for assistance and bring
conveyance to take the wounded man
to the house. But Arbuckle demurred.
THE affair must be kept secret" he
said. because | am ashamed of my
part in requiring a woman to protect
herself against me, and, as for being
carried about with such a pin prick as
this. my comrades would despise me.
Go to your home, Miss Ringold You
have vanQuiShed me in more ways
than one. Henceforth am your cham
pion whenever you choose to have me
by accepting my services. | will now
ride to camp, but ask that at the first
opportunity | may be permitted to pay
my duty to you.
Margaret turned and walked away.
but she heard footsteps behind her and
felt her hand clasped. 1t was Arbuclle,
Tell me before VIC part he said.
IAN | forgiven"
She made no reply except with her
eyes, but the man was satisfied. He
watched her. attended by jim, till she
reached the house. when she turned
and, putting her fingers to her lips,
threw him what she had fought him
for taking diSrespectfully.
The Swamp Fox kept Tarleton and
his men busy for some time, during
which Arbuckle did not appear at the
Ringold manor Then he was taken
ILL., From Il hospital he sent word to
Margaret that as soon as he had re-
covered he would see her and make
all possible amends for his treatment
of her. But he was obliged to wait