The Bourbon news., 1912-01-09


he took a stand at one end of sixty
foot stretch and, still indecorously
amused, received loaded pistol from
Won Einem.
Des Trebes confronted him, white
with rage, regretting already
(O'Rourke made no doubt) that he had
not accepted the Webleys. The Irish
mans open contempt maddened the
man.
The seconds retired to perfectly
safe distance, Won Einem holding the
watch, one of Des Trebes' seconds a
handkerchief. The chauffeurs threw
away their cigarettes and sat up, for
the first time reused out of their pro
fessional air of blase Indifference.
'One," cried the German clearly.
Des Trebes raised his arm and lev
eled his pistol at O'Rourke's head. A
faint flush colored his face, but his
eye was cold and hard behind the
sight and the hand that held the
weapon was as steady as if supported
by an invisible rest.
"Two," said Won Einem.
O'Rourke measured the distance
with his eye and raised his arm from
the elbow only, holding the pistol with
a loose grip.
Three" said Won Einem.
The handkerchief fell.
The Irishman fired without moving.
Des Trebes' weapon was discharged
almost simultaneously, but with ru-
ined aim; it's bullet went nowhere in
particular. The Frenchman dropped
the weapon and, wincing, examined So
licitously knuckle from which
O'Rourke's shot had struck tiny par
ticle of skin. His seconds rushed to
him with cries, preceded by the sur
geon with bandages. O'Rourke grace
fully surrendered his artillery to JUL
lard, laughed at the vicomte again,
and strOlled back to the motor-car
Juillard and Won Einem presently
joined him, the former insistently anx-
ious to have O'Rourke descend and
clasp the hand of fraternal friendship
with the vicomte But the Irishman
refused.
Faith, MOI" he laughed. "Niver!
Sure and hasn't he hugged both his
seconds and the surgeon, too, already !?
For me own part I've no mind to be
kissed. Let's hurry away before he
celebrates further by imprinting a
chaste salute upon the cheek of our
chauffeur. Besides, I've train
CHAPTER vi.
Events marched to schedule; what
O'Rourke planned came serenely to
pass. He experienced a day as re-
plete with emotions as the night that
preceded it and more marked by nc
tivity. Nothing hindering. he left the
battle-scarred Vicomte des Trebes
upon the field of honor at half-past
six; at seven forty-five he settled him
self in a coach of the Cote d'Azur
Rapide, en- route for Marseilles-a
happy man, for he was alone {.
At quarter to one in the afternoon
of the same day he boarded the little
steamer Tabarka of the Mediter-
ranean ferry service; and half an hour
later stood by the after-rail of it's
promenade deck, watching the dis
tances widen between him and all that
he held beloved.
I'm ninety days, dear boy" she had
said. {. "Ah, Terence, Terence,
if you should fail me !"
II shall not fail Rangoon
in ninety days. Dear heart, l will be
there.
As if to feed the hunger of his
heart he strained his vision to see
the last of the land that held her.
At length it disappeared, and then for
the first time he consciously moved
drew hand across his eyes, sighed
and turned away.
Picking his way through the cos
mopolitan throng of passengers, he
went below, found his stateroom, and
subsided into the berth for a sorely-
needed nap; instead of indulging in
which, however, he lay staring wide
eyed at his problem. He had much to
accomplish, much to guard against
Des Trebes bulked large in the back
ground of perils he must anticipate:
O'Rourke was by no means disposed
to f1atter himself that he had scotched
the schemes of the vicomte
He made his second public appear
ance on the Tabarka at the hour of
sunset; and in the act of making it,
turned corner and ran plump into
the arms Of young person in tweeds
and steamer cap-a stoutish young
Englishman with vivid complexion
and bulldog pipe. nervousness tenn
pering his native home-brewed inso-
lence, the blank vacuity of his eyes
hopelessly betraying the caliber of his
intellect
A sudden gust of anger swept
O'Rourke off his figurative feet. He
stopped short, blocking the gangway
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