Smyrna times., 1911-03-29

replied that he would be at home on /
certain date arriving on a midnight |
train.
The evening of Won Hilderschoff's |
expected arrival the baroness wrote a |
note to her protector and one to the |
man from whom she was being pro |
tected, asking them to call upon her |
They met. The scowl that lowered |
upon Manteufel's brow was like a |
thunderstorm in the Alps. Believing |
that he acted in the interest of his |
friend instead of from the promptings
Of jealousy, forgetting that he had not
been commissioned to pick a quarrel
with the man his friend disliked, he
walked right into a trap and before he
had been in Won Gethart's presence
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 fiercely at Gethart.
"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. A few minutes later Ge-
thart bowed himself out, and the bar
oness indicated to Manteufel that she
would prefer to 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 duel. 1 wish
you to inform me as to the time and
place of the meeting"
| 81 could not well do that, baroness,
except that the valet of Count Won
| Gethart is my friend. This may help
me out"
AT II midnight Baron Won Hilder-
schoff returned and found his wife
waiting to greet him.
| "Well," he said after exhausting or
binary matters that had occurred dur
ing his absence. "how about this Won
Gethart? Has he been offensive in his
attentionsT
mot at all. but your friend Captain
Manteufel has been more loyal to you
during your absence than has been
necessary"
''How so?'
"He evidently knows that you don't
like the count and has assumed to
keep him away from me-"
"So?"
Eyes. They met here this evening.
Manteufel insulted Won Gethart, and
they are going to fight"
$50" repeated the baron. opening
his eyes very wide.
Eyes. The affair will be the talk of
Berlin"
"Great heaveny' exclaimed the bar
| on.
"We must interfere"
"How?"
"I have sent Heinrich to discover
the time and place. 1 am expecting
him back every moment"
"Himmel, may he be successfulr
1t was 2 o'clock when Heinrich re
turned, and all he knew was that z
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 neal
. the counts residence, saw him leave
l nd foil h I'M, 10
the city, where his carriage stopped
and he and a companion alighted
Another carriage had just arrived Thu
{ baron and baroness alighted some dis
: tance from the others. The day wal
: breaking when they saw two men tax
r ing positions for duel. Then they ad
! | vanced.
1 Gentlemen" cried the baron. Evil
q you kindly inform me as to the caus
: of this quarrel?"
l Both men, astonished, stood mute.
l 81 have been informed by the bar
D oness," continued Won Hilderschoff
"that there has been trouble between
you two. If my wife has anything t
do with it beg you to put up you
t swords. Neither of you need be con
e cerned about her. / alone assume +
t defend her."
Both the men addressed looked as
!. they wished the earth would open an
s swallow them. but it was Manteuft
d who seemed especially crushed. H
d had gone on the field believing tina
n he was protecting his friends wifi
but cherished a hope that knowledg
't of the quarrel might never reach hi
friend.
d Gentlemen" said the baroness wit
$ a certain sweetness that never dt
l. serted her. "we should be pleased
y see you both at dinner this evening
e "You are very kind. but began th
3 count
Really, baroness. you must ez
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