Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1912-02-21
ILLUSTRATIONS by
ELLSWORTHYOUNC


town, and finally swung eastwards
upon the Route de la Corniche, sud-
denly discarding all pretense of docil-
ity and swooping onward with a windy
roar, its powerful motor purring like
some gigantic tiger=cat.
1t carried four; at the wheel gog-
gled and ennuied operator in shape
less and hideous garments; in the
tonneau its owner, a middle-aged
French manufacturer with pouched
eyes, a liver, lank jaws clean-scraped,
and an expression Of high-minded de-
votion to duty; Captain Won Einem IN
uniform; and Colonel O'Rourke.
At the end Of an hours run, dis
turbed by one or two absurdly grave
conferences between the seconds, in
appropriate monotones, the mechani-
clan put on the brakes and slowed
down the car, then deftly swung 1t
into a narrow lane, leafy tunnel
through which it crawled for min
ute or two ere debouching into a
broad and sunlit meadow, walled in by
woodland, conspicuously secluded.
To one side and at little distance
a second motor-car stood at rest; its
operator had removed the hood and
was tinkering with the motor in a
most matter -of-fact manner. In the
body of the machine Monsieur lie vi
comte des Trebes, ostentatiously una
ware Of the advent of the second
party, sat twisting rapiec-points to his
moustaches and concentrating his
gaze on infnity O'Rourke observed
with malicious delight the nose Of the
duelist, much infamed.
Advancing from his antagonists po-
sition three preternaturally serious
gentlemen of France in black frock
coats and straight-brimmed silk hats
waded ankle deep in dripping grass to
meet O'Rourke's representatives.
The two parties met, saluted one an
other with immense reserve, and re-
tired to suitable distance to con-
fer; something which they did word
lily, with enthusiasm and many pic
turesque gestures. At first strangely
amicable, the proceedings soon struck
q snag. A serious difference of opin-
lon arose. O'Rourke OWNED that the
conference had gone into executive
-rensie,, ,s.-.za tho queetion of weapons
He treated himself to secret grin,
having anticipated this trouble.
The choice of weapons being his,
as the challenged, he had modestly Sc
lected revolvers and had brought with
him brace of Webleys, burly pieces
of pocket ordnance with short barrels
and cylinders chambered to hold half
dozen AS cartridges. They were not
pretty, for they had seen service in
their owners hands for a number of
years, but they were undeniably built
for business. And at sight of them
the friends of the vicomte recoiled in
horror.
Eventually a compromise was ar
rived at. Monsieur Juilliard stepped
back, saluted, and with Won Einem re.
turned to his principal, his face a
mask Of disappointment. AS for him
self, he told O'Rourke, he was desc
lated, but the seconds Of Monsieur des
Trebes had positively refused to con-
sent to turning meeting of honor
into a massacre. They proposed to
substitute regulation French dueling
pistols as sanctioned by the Code.
Such as that which Monsieur lie Col
onel O'Rourke might observe in Mon
sieur Juilliard's hand.
O'Rourke blinked and shifted at 1t.
"Sure," he contended, tis magnify
ine glass I need to make it visible to
me undressed eye. What the divvle
does it carry-a dried pea? What
d'they think we're here for, if not to
slay one another with due ceremony?
Ask them that. Am to salVe the
vicomte's wounded honor by shifting
him with spitball? 1 grant ye, 'tis
magnificent, but It's not a pistol"
Grumbling, he allowed himself to
be persuaded. AS he had foreseen and
prophesied, so had it come to pass.
Yet he had to grumble, partly because
he. was the O'Rourke, partly for ef-
feet.
None the less, he consented, and in
the highest spirits left the CO. and
plowed through the lush wet grass
to the spot selected for the encounter,
in the shadow of the trees near the
eastern border of the meadow. Here,
the seconds having tossed for sides,
he took stand at one end of sixty
foot stretch and, still indecorously
amused, received a loaded pistol from
Won Einem.
Des Trebes confronted him, white
with rage, regsetting already
(ORourke made no doubt that he had
not accepted the Webleys. The Irish
mans open contempt maddened the
man.