Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-08-12

ana Cat that time) maintain his sell
respect
The duels resulting at these functions
were usually fought after the ball
Just before the dancing ended a group
OF young men went to a room upstairs
to take measures for fighting out the
affairs that had occurred during the
evening. It was found that Marcel
and Chambers had a bump TO settle
and Durier had a bump to wipe out
with each one Of them The question
was which should fight first
The seconds were constituted an
executive body to consider the matter
and decide it on its merits. They con-
ciuded to arrange it according to prior
ity Of bumps Marcel and Chambers
had made the first bump; therefore
the first tight should take place be
tween them Whichever lived should
settle the next bump with Durier.
This and the preliminaries to the fights
having been settled, carriages were
called ana the party were driven to
the dueling wood to meet at dawn,
which was already breaking.
Marcel being the challenged party,
chose pistola He was a better shot
than Chambers and calculated on a
victory. But he knew that whoever
won In this nrst encounter was sure
TO be killed by Durier. This took
away his nerve, and he missed his
man. Chambers shot him through the
heart. killing him instantly.
This left Chambers to settle the next
bump with Durier, who magnanimous-
~ left the choice Of weapons with his
opponent. Chambers chose pistols.
The two had taken position ana the
signal WIS about to be given when
the rattle OF wheels was heard. car
Rage swung into the wood and Antoi-
nette Desoix stepped out.
The nrst object that met her eye
was the dead body Of Marcel With a
shudder she turned quickly from it to
the two men ready to fight. They
looked at her In unaffected surprise.
'+Gentlemen," she said. 81 have a
confession to make. By piQuing you,
Mr.. Chambers, intentionally caused
an enmity between you and him
pointing with an agonized expression
toward the body of Marcel Then, to
save you, Mr.. Chambers, brought on
q quarrel between him and M. Durier,
knowing that NJ. Durier was invincible
and expecting that he would cancel
the fight between you and NJ. Marcel.
The collision between you two gentle
ment was accidental, neither nor any
one else being accountable for it. 1
implore you to end the matter here"
FTt. Ill o.
ments, which Durier broke. What
say you, Mr.. Chambers?'
Chambers did not reply at once. He
was thinking. Finally he said to the
girl:
Had you come in time to prevent
the first fight all would have been
well. As 1t is, neither NJ. Durier nor
myself can honorably permit one OF
US three men concerned to suffer
alone. We must proceed"
In vain the girl implored them to
desist. The seconds begged her TO
leave the ground. She would not.
Chambers called for the signal. 1t
was given. Two shots rang out to-
gether. Chambers fell dead and, Du-
rier MORALLY wounded.
AnIOluolIo SdNo u SHIISh anu lciL III
a heap.
The story Of how Antoinette Desoix,
yielding TO a feminine idiosyncracy to
pique the one man she loved, placed
him In a position where she was liza
BILE to lose him, then brought about a
quarrel between his opponent and q
man who would be quite sure to put
that opponent out Of the way, gradu-
ally permeated New Orleans society.
Some thought her demented, some
considered her a fury, some merely a
woman who had become entangled by
her own petty foibles. The case, pc
culiar though 1t was, caused only a
ripple on the gay society OF New Or
leans, and Mile. Desoix and her triple
duel were soon forgotten.
Her father, upon whom when a boy
the execution of the queen, for whom
Antoinette had been named, had pro
duced so marked an effect, had a diff
ferent feeling from all these. In the
blood his daughter had spilled he saw
q curse resting upon her in the nam
she bore. He placed her in a convent.
from which she never emerged. There
through long years she expiated
what she never ceased to consider her
crime. She never could understand
how she had been led into its com.
mission.