The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-03-14
THE REVENGE
or A FATHER
A Professional Duelist Who
Met His Match.

old family papers that had not been
overhauled In half a century. ! have
reconstructed 1t from its original letter
form, preserving the first person In
which 1t was written:
came to New Orleans In 1S45 from
France was sitting one evening
soon after my arrival, In cafe whe
an elderly man, about ffty-ave,
think, stepped up to me and with
broad southern accent said, "You are
NJ. Desmounes OF Paris, believe.
subj"
II am and at your service, monsieur"
II am a stranger In the city, sub.
am planter from the interior Of the
state, desire the services Of some
one familiar with the code duello and
have been told that you have Otiiclated
on several occasions at meetings among
gentlemen. II 1t would not be too
much to ask, sub, | would like you to
act 70 me in an affair of hona', sub"
He was a typical Louisiana planter
of the period.
IL shall be happy to serve you, mon
sleur But | should like to know
something about the case"
Certainly, sub. My opponent de-
clared publicly that General Jackson
at the battle OF New O'leans used cot
ton bales TO breastwO'ks | told him
that he was mistaken. He persisted.
gave him the lie. He challenged me."
was surprised. had not then
learned OF the various methods among
gentlemen in vogue In the city of pick
ing quarrel which was based ON an
other cause.
"yNere you rightT'' asked,
Certainly, sub! was present at
the battle, sub"
sand who is your opponent~
"Camille Trudeau, sub"
"CamilIe Trudeau! Is he here7 Why,
my dear sir, he has been out twenty
times and always killed or winged his
man"
80 have heard, sub"
After failure to induce Captain st.
Leger-the name he gave me-to find
way out Of the difficulty consented
to act for him. His opponents second
informed me that his principal, who
was twenty-five years younger than
| st. I.eger, would not kill the captain
If he could possibly help It, st. Leger,
as the challenged party, selected pls-
tolls and ground under the levee
few miles north of the city. We pro-
ceeded thither at daybreak the next
morning. / noticed that the captain
stepped from his carriage glngerIy and
walked on to the ground with slight
limp. There also seemed to be some
thing the matter with bis left arm.
We btaced the Contestants thirty
PAGES apart, The captain told me that
he was poor shot and named the dis.
lance himself. They fired at the drop
Of a4hat. Trudeau was unframed. st.
Ieger received q bah in the leg that
nearly knocked him over But he main
tanned his balance and awaited the sig
nal for another round Trudeau looked
surprised. He had aimed at the cap
taln's leg just below the knee and
knew that he had placed his bullet
there. Such a stroke should be sufi
Client to put any man out Of the fight
We endeagored to induce the old man
to withdraw, but without avail
Just before the next signal saw
Trudcau looking at his opponents right
arm, as II he intended to shatter 1t, |
wasAot surprised that he changed his
intention. for he could not carry It out
without killing his man. When the
shots rang out Trudeau was still un-
harmed. st. Leger's left arm swayed
and then hung limp. He stood as
steady as ever.
Trgdeau turned pale. Was he to
Continue to put holes In his adver-
sary's members without any percepti
bic injury? confess / was puzzled
Trudeau appeared to be ratified. The
captains shots had been drawing
closer to him, and this doubtless had
an effect upon his nerve.
st. Leger insisted on another round.
When their hands were raised for
the next shot | thought | noticed a
slight tremor at the muZzle Of Tru
deau's pistol The captains face was
study. 1t showed plainly that this
time he was determined to kill his OPP
poneDt and showed, further, great con-
fidence In his ability to do so. ! be-
lleve Trudeau considered that his own
life depended on taking his opponents
But his nerve had gone. and he looked
anxious. The captain stood straight
as ramrod on his wounded leg,
which he had not permitted the sur.
geon to examine and on which no
blood was visible. | looked to see 1t
oOzlng from under his pantaloOns
where they were strapped over his
boot, but looked in vain.
At the next FIRE Trudeau's bullet
knocked st. Legers pistol out Of his
hand, glanced and buried itself in
tree. Trudeau fell with a hole in the
center Of his forehead. The others
present. except myself; ran to Tru-
deau started for St. Leser. but was
surprised to see him walk to the car
riage with no more impeachment than
HIS usual limp. He told me to get In.
and we drove away.
"Your leg, captain, and your arm"