The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-07-04

chnr Il. and when The, changed the
hour Of uoon ne groaned. He knew
his tetr0thed had locked him In. but
did not know that she had intended to
fight in bis place. Had he even suppos.
ed this he would have well nigh gone
mad.
Presently. hearing a step in the hall,
he listened intently. hoping for q re-
lease and that he would not be too late
to keep his appointment. The door was
unlocked. and he was about to push
out into the corridor when he was
stopped by u man. who said:
The cardinal desires your presence
at the palace"
Durant quailed. He could face death
like a gentleman and a soldier. but to
be executed in cold blood was not to
his liking. and he did not doubt that
be would suffer the execution Of q
felon. As he accompanied the messen-
ger to the palace he wondered If the
girl he loved could have given away
the secret of the meeting. No; she had
locked him up to prevent his being
killed by De la Tour. She surely would
not turn him over to another fate far
more terrible. He was wondering how
the secret could have got out and
whether there was any hope for him
when he and the messenger entered
the palace. He was taken to q cham
Der. where he was placed In charge of
q guard and notice of his arrival sent
to the cardinal.
Presently an attendant came for him
and led him to another apartment, and
as he entered by one door be- saw De
la Tour ushered in by another. The
cardinal sat in an armchair at one side.
and near him stood Mile. Remercier in
mans apparel. The two duelists ad-
vanced and bowed to the cardinal. But
what was most astonishing were a
headsman's block and az at one end Of
the room. There was no executioner
present. but the culprits expected to
him enter ut any moment.
"Gentletnep," said the minister. lyon
are doubtless aware of the recent edict
against dueling. and. having conspired
to disobey 1t, your lives are forfeited"
Both men bowed low.
II have decided. however, to permit
this meeting and to witness 1t myself.
There is an %unfairness about these
duels which in this one l hope to coun-
teract. You. Captain de la Tour. are
accounted the best swordsman in
France. You. Lieutenant Durant. !
learn. are one Of the poorest. To enable
you to fight equitably l have decided
that you shall continue the contest till
one kills the other. He who remains
alive will be dispatched by the heads
man"
"But, your eminence." %interposed the
informant, deathly pale. you promised
me that their lives should be spared"
"And my promise is not broken by
this disposition. But for you both Of
them would be ordered to execution at
once I cannot conceive a more noble
part than that you have acted. Since
in this realm a practice exists by which
an expert swordsman may kill one who
Is practically defenseless you were
about to suffer death to save the un-
skilled combatant Failing in this.
knowing that I alone had power to
prevent this injustice. you Informed
me Of It, but not till you had received
my promise that the combatants should
not be punished by death. It Is not my
intention to punish either Of them for
%disobeying the edict. but to render the
affair between them perfectly equita-
BILE. Gentlemen. there IL ample room
for you on the door Of this apartment.
Take your positions and an attendant
will hand you your weapons"
As the cardinal spoke the last words
the men were given rapiers. and at the
same time a door opened. and q masked
man in tight fitting garments entered.
went to the block. took up the az and
stood ready for duty. The duelists,
who understood that this was a mere
subterfuge Of the crafty cardinal to
keep his promise to Mile. Remercier in
the letter and break It in the spirit
and that one was to execute the other
and the headsman the victor. stood
facing each other. awaiting q signal to
begin the combat. They had been
friends. and their quarrel had been in
their cups. Neither had the faintest
remembrance Of its cause. Realizing
that they were about 10 die. they step
ped forward and embraced each other.
Meanwhile Mile. Remercier had
thrown herself at the feet Of the card.
nal to beg for their lives. Her back
being turned TO the combatants and
her head bowed. she did not see the
embrace. The cardinal raised her and
turned her toward them.
"Look!!s be said. 1.-The affair II end
ed the way I would have all such af.
fairs ended-in q reconciliation. Gen
tlemen. put away your swords. Il you
supposed Richelieu to be % crafty ~
thus to break his word to one whose
life is demanded by the kings vel
fare perhaps you are right. but you
- - go B-Tai& /. -