Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-11-13

INT sent the card TO that gentleman.
The latter arose and. going to the table
where Mr.. Travers sat. bowed and said:
81 am at your service, sir"
st am commissioned to hand you a
check for money taken from a boy
in his teens. who should have been
protected instead Of swindled by you"
He handed Tflford airs. Van Zandt's
check. but the latter dew back. He
had no sense of honor. but could not
tell to what this matter might lead.
He assumed a sense of honor he did
not feel.
Are you aware. sir" he said. that
this is an insult no gentleman car
brook? Were it not for the prejudice
against the code engendered by the re-
cent affair between Mr.. Hamilton and
Mr.. Burr you should answer for It on
the field Of honor"
'"The prejudice against dueling you
speak Of arises from a murder. not an
| affair OF honor. I have no fear of los
Ing any Of my friends by a meeting
with you"
"Be 1t So. sir. l shall send a friend
to you"
Zone moment, sir. The lady whose
son you have swindled must not be
brought into this affair, and it is to
your Interest. sir, that its real cause
should be concealed. Return to your
friends. Presently l will arise to leave
the room. Place your foot in such po-
sition that | may trip or it. | will re-
taliate by drawing my glove across
your face. You can then send your
friend to me without the true u
Of the difference between us being
known
"As you like. sir. Meanwhile you
may keep the check. II you kill me
you may return it to the lady who
wrote it, If l kill YOU
You can take such action concern
ing it as you see fit. If you choose now
to decline it and will give me a receipt
for the amount Of it's face this affair
need go no further"
Tilford made no reply to this for
awhile. He was turning the matter
over in his mind. There were reasons
why he should recede from the posi-
ton in which he stood. but he did not
wish to give up the plumber. and he
might possibly retain it without dam
age to his reputation Travers was not
known as II fighter. while Tilford came
from the south. where dueling was
i quite common. and he was an expert
with both sword and pistol.
NO. sir" he said at last. You have
insulted me. accused me. and my honor
must be indicated"
With that he turned and went back
to his companions.
Nothing of the conversation had been
heard by them. and when Travers
arose and walked toward the desk to
pay his reckoning no one was aware
that a pantomime was to be enacted.
AS he was walking %leisurely past the
table where his adversary sat the lat.
ter put out his foot, and Travers STUN
bled against it.
lyon did that on purpose. sir" he
said.
AS you please TO consider it. sir"
Travers drew a glove from a pocket
and struck Tilford with it lightly on
the cheek. Then he passed in the
! ing room.
When Tilford's second returned ia
him with Travers' reply to his chal.
lenge. the southerner knit his brows
BY asserting TO his enemy's plan he
had given Travers the chance of place
and weapons The conditions named
ny the latter were. pistols, in a DARK
room, each party to be supplied with
!, nm unlimited number Of weapons
This placed them on an equality. and
Tilford lost the advantage of his skill
and reputation as a duelist.
| Tilford was an impostor and a swim
dler. He had forged letters of intro
: dnction n had played young Var
Zandt with marked cards. Believing
that his true character would sooI
come out. he desired, If possible. to get
the money on Mrs. Van Zandt'sa check
and disappear. But in playing a gen
> tleman's game he had left the check
with Travers. He sent word to his
adversary that he would apologize fol
tripping him and take Mrs. Van
| Zandt's check TO her and tear it tC
pieces in her presence if this would be
. agreeable to Mr.. Travers.
Travers was unwilling to trust hin
with the check so long as 1t was good
e at the bank. but he took sufficient
3 time to go there and request that Il
should not be paid if presented Their
5 he sent it to Tilford. stating that his
5 proposed terms were accepted, But be
9 fore TiIfurd had time to try to get the
II check casled Trarers went to the
Z bank and was there in cOncealment
3 when Tilford hurried in and present
ed the check Travers confronted him
You scoundrelr!'' he said. sign i
: receipt for the amount You claim from
young Van Zandt and give 1t to me
> with this check. or go t. jail"
Tiifora threw up the game and
agreed to the conditions, When the
receipt had been drawn and signed
: and the check returned be was per
: mitted to leave the bank and the city
and was never seen in New Yori
!. again.
The same evening Mr.. Travers wa
3 announced in the drawing room Of
t Mrs. Van Zandt.
r Have you paid my sons Indebted
e ness?" she asked.
Il have. madam. There is the re
ceiptr
+ He handed it to her. She cast bel
sEl OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. &za . :, /, .aAH