Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1913-07-17
THE
DUELISTS
How They Were Punished
For Fighting
BY F. A. mitchell

ASs~SSs
has been arrested for masquerading in
mans apparel. She desires to be
brought before your eminence."
why should l be troubled by q 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!
IL don't put a stop to this practice
shall in time lose every officer in the
service. l will stop it if have to
hang the whole army. Admit the
girl.'
She came in. blushing for her APP
parel, tall for woman and we'll form
bent head.
why are you so attired?" he asked.
Because intended to take the place
of man in a duel today"
You fight duel!' snarled his emf
hence. "Shall l have to bring the wo-.
men of the kingdom to the block as
well 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 room from which
he cannot escape. l intended to fight
In his stead.'
Their namesr'
II will die, your eminence, rather
than reveal them without your promise
that their lives shall be spared"
The cardinal hesitated for moment.
then gave the required promise
Captain de la 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 dueling pest that is kill
ing off every year hundreds of the
kings best officers seems to be more in
vogue among persons of quality than
the lower orders. l wish you were
man. would behead De la Tour and
give you his commission. Why were
you about to give your life for that Of
Lieutenant Durant?"
because l would rather die than
lose him."
The cardinal paused moment in
thought. singular" 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 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 placer"
I'm wood on the outskirts of the
city. on the bank of the Seine"
"When:"
Eat noon"
ut is now near noon"
Eyes, your eminence. was going to
the ground when gendarme of keen
er eye than others suspected my sex
and arrested me-"
II presume Captain de la Tour is
now waiting for his victim"
DOUBTLESS he is. and wondering why
he does not appear"
Something was running with cleo
trio rapidity through the cardinals
brain. Whatever it was. 1t came to a
head at once Summoning an attend
ant. he directed him to proceed to the
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 It to 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 duelists.
The messenger who went for De Ia
Tour found him pacing back and forth
impatiently waiting for his enemy, his
cSSOhNS SI0A0AAe IO6CIAcI CudtuuS u
pass the time. When the captain saw
man coming wearing the cardinals
livery he turned pale.
Mon Dieu!' he exclaimed. 1.-THE
cardinal has got wind of the affair. l
am lost"
His eminence desires your presence
at the palace" said the messenger.
DE la Tour bade his comrades good
by. he and they believing that they
wouid never meet again. Only a few
days hrfore two men had been behead-
ed for Il 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
Richelieu. afterward called the Palais
Royale and today occupied by shops.
Meanwhile Lieutenant Durant was q
prisoner. bewailing his fate. Proud
and sensitive, his mind dwelt on the
contempt with which his brother off
GERS would receive him when he met
q