The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-06-26
THE
DUELISTS
How They We're Punished
For Fighting
By F. A. mitchell


Please, your eminence. woman
has been arrested for masquerading in
mans apparel. She desires to be
brought before your eminence."
why should be troubled by mat
ter that pertains to the watch:' asked
the cardinal. looking up from his pa
pers
The Young lady says, your emf
hence. that she has information to give
which you would value"
"Of what nature!"
"Dueling. She will give you the
names of two officers of the army who
are to fight today
The cardinals manner changed at
once. Another of these affairs. eh,
despite my orders but just published!
II don't put a stop to this practice
shall ia time lose every officer in the
service. will stop it if have to
hang the whole army. Admit the
girl"
She came in, blushing for her ap-
parel. tall for woman and well form
VI.
bent head.
why are you so attired?" he asked.
Because intended to take the place
of a man in duel today"
You fight duel!" snarled his emf
hence. "Shall have to bring the wo-
men of the kingdom to the block as
we'll as the men,"
Hear me, your eminence. One of
the best swordsmen in France is to
meet on the field of honor one of the
worst. ! learned of the meeting in
time. sent for the latter and succeeded
in locking him in a room from which
he cannot escape. | intended to fight
m his stead"
Their Names"
Il will die, your eminence. rather
than reveal them without your promise
that their lives shall be spared"
The cardinal hesitated for a moment
then gave the required promise.
Captain de In Tour. the famous
swordsman. and Lieutenant Durant,"
said the girl.
On the cold visage of the cardinal
appeared trace of admiration for this
woman who was going to meet death
IN place of another.
"You are Mile. Remercier, | believe.
one of the queens maids Of honor,
This nefarious duelng pest that Is kill
Ing off every year hundreds Of the
kings best officers seems to he more in
vogue among persons of quality than
the lower orders wish you were a
man. | would behead De In Tour and
give you his commission Why were
you about to give your life for that of
Lieutenant Durant:'
Because | would rather die than
lose him"
The cardinal paused moment in
thought. "Singuiar." he said. half to
himself and half to the girl. this thing
called love, can conceive Of all other
passions. but not this one. and Il love
that will sacrifice life for the object
loved is to me as great mystery as
life itself" Then. looking up, he ask
ed "Where is this duel to take place?'
'In wood on the outskirts of the
city. on the bank of the Seine"
"When?"
AT noon"
at is now near noon"
ayes, your eminence. was going to
the ground when gendarme of keen
er eye than others suspected my sex
and arrested me"
81 presume Captain de In Tour is
now waiting for his victim
DOUBTLESS he is. and wondering why
he does not appear"
Something was running with cleo
tric rapidity through the cardinals
brain. Whatever ii was. 1t came to a
head at once. Summuning an attend.
dueling ground and bring Captain de
la Tour to the palace. Then, turning
to Mile Remercier. he asked if she
had the key to the room where her
lover was confined She gave il tn him.
and he sent another attendant for Du.
rant. Then he sent the girl to another
apartment to await the coming of the
would be dueiStS
The messenger who went for De Ia
Tour found him pacing back and forth
impatientIy waiting for his enemy, his
seconds standing together chatting tt
pass the time. When the captain saw
man coming wearing the cardinals
livery he turned pale.
"Mon Dieuw he exclaimed. THE
cardinal has got wind of the affair.
am lost"
His eminence desires your presence
at the palace" snid the messenger.
DE Ia Tour babe his comrades good
by. he and they believing that they
days before two men had been behead-
ed for like affair, and with every
case the cardinal had grown more de-
termined Having pressed the hand OF
each Of them. he set out for the Palais
Rchelieu, afterward called the Palais
Royale and today occupied by shops.
Meanwhile Lieutenant Dnrant was a
prisoner. hewailing his fate Proud
and sensitive. his mind dwelt on the
contempt with which his brother Off
GERS would receive him when he met
them again forNnot Keeping an engage.
ment TO fight He heard the clocks
without strike II For an hour he
chafed, and when they changed tn,
hour of noon he groaned. He knew
his betrothed had locked him in, b1
did not know that she had intended t.
fight in his place. Had he even suppos
ed this he would have well nigh gon'
mad.
Presently, hearing a step In the hall