Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-02-27

half an hour had in the most gentle
manly manner in the world insulted
him. 1t happened in this wise:
81 do not think" said the baroness,
that your men in Germany have the
respect. the reverence. for women our
men in America have"
''You are right, baroness" said Man
teufel, looking 6ercely at Gethart-
1--WE have here in Berlin men who
would not hesitate TO take advantage
of a woman left unprotected by her
husband"
A brief silence marked this throwing
down the gauntlet, after which the
lady turned the conversation into 9TH
er channels. few minutes later Ge-
thart bowed himself out. and the bar
oness indicated TO Manteufel that she
would prefer 10 be alone. AS soon as
he had gone she called in a manserv-
ant and said TO him:
Heinrich, have a very delicate job
for you"
what is it. baroness?"
Count Gethart and Captain Manteu-
fel are about TO fight a duel. / wish
you to inform me as to the time and
place Of the meeting"
"I could not well do that, baroness.
except that the valet OF Count Won
Gethart Is my friend. This may help
me out"
AT IL midnight Baron Won Hilder-
schoff returned and found his wife
waiting to greet him.
We'll" he said after exhausting or
binary matters that had occurred dur
ing his absence. chow about this Won
Gethart? Has he been offensive in bis
attentionsT'
mot at all. but your friend Captain
Manteufel has been more loyal to you
during your absence than has been
necessary"
How soY'
"He evidently knows that you don't
Ike the count and has assumed to
keep him away from me-"
"So7"
yes They met here this evening.
Manteufel insulted Won Gethart, and
they are going to fight"
1907" repeated the baron, opening
his eyes very wide.
yes The affair viii be the talk OF
Berlin"
Great heavenp' exclaimed the bar
on.
I'VE must interfere"
"How?'
81 have sent Heinrich to discover
the time and place. I am expecting
him back every moment"
"Himmel. may he be successful"
1t was 2 O'Clock when Heinrich re-
turned, and ell he knew was that a
carriage had been ordered by Count
Won Gethart to be at his door at 4
O'clock in the morning. But this was
not enough The baron and his wife
ordered their own carriage to be ready
at half past 3. drove to a point near
the counts residence, saw him leave
and followed him to a grove near
the city, where his carriage stopped
and he and a companion alighted-
Another carriage had Just arrived The
baron and baroness alighted some dis
lance from the others. The day was
breaking when they saw two men tax
ing positions for a duel. Then they ad-
vanced.
Gentlemen" cried the baron, will
you kindly inform me as to the cause
of this QuarrelT"
Both men, astonished, stood mute.
'I have been informed by the bar
oness." continued Won HilderschOff.
chat there has been trouble between
you two. If my wife has anything to
do with it 1 beg you to put mp your
swords. Neither Of you need be con-
cerned about her. l alone assume to
defend her"
Both the men addressed looked as II
they wished the earth would open and
swallow them, but IL was Manteufel
who seemed especially crushed. He
had gone on the field believing that
he was protecting his friends wife.
but cherished a hope that knowledge
of the quarrel might never reach his
friend.
Gentlemen" said the baroness with
a certain sweetness that never de-
serted her, I'VE should be pleased to
see you both at dinner this evening"
You are very kind, butt began the
count.
Really. baroness. you must az
cuse'- began the captain. But sthe
lady simply put them both in the
sition OF being ungallsnt II they DE-
clined and both gave q reluctant ac-
ceptaI1ce.
The party left the field in the con-
veyances by which they had come
After a brief nap the baron, at his
wife's request, called upon Gethart
and Manteufel and persuaded them TO
meet as friends at her house.
Something OF this may leak out"
he said. land II you two men meet
at dinner under my roof the story viii
be nipped in the bud"
This was an argument that struck
home with both the men addressed.
and in the evening they met at the
dinner under st least the guise Of or
binary frieno,tness.
The next day the baroness sent Cap
tain Msnteufel che letters he had
written her during her husbands alb
sence. and. reading them over. he was
e stonished to see that he had shown
ry.>evidence Of jealousy and infat-