The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1913-06-26
THE FORCEOF
CONSCIENCE
By DONALD CHAMBERLAIN

What victim"
This time it is cOuntryman of
yours-One Arthur Whitney"
Arthur Whitney,
| This brief dialogue occurred in Paris
between a Partisan and a South Caro-
| linian named Louis GlenwOOd The
| time was before the middle Of the nine
! teenth century, when dueling was more
common than now throughout the
world and far more in earnest in
| France, where semblance of the Gus
| tom still fingers. GlenwoOd had no
especial acquaintance with Whitney,
| only knowing him as the affianced huS-
band of Muriel Ellison, an American
| girl whom he. GlenwOod. secretly
| adOred
Some one must stop these murders, "
he said with intense emotion.
THAT cannot be DONE" replied the
other; Eat least, not In any ordinary
way-not by the duel, because Veilliers
is so skilled in all weapons that he can
defeat any antagonist. There is but
one way in which he can be wOrsted-
| through his nerve. If one could find a
way TO break through that Veilliers'
skill would not be available"
A few days later Veilliers was din
ing at a cafe on the Champs Elysees
when a man entered who attracted at
tention at once from a malicious, Sar-
donic look he wore on his face. He
strobe straight toward the table where
Veilliers was sitting and deliberately
slapped him on the cheek.
Veilliers, who had noticed the man,
looked up into the face of one whom
he had never seen before and whose
expression startled him.
what means this insult, mOnsieur?"
he asked. Il do not know that l have
any quarrel with you"
You are used, monsieur" said the
other, Ito offer these insults. l choose
to offer this one myself"
"WhO are you?"
81 am the united embodiment of all
your victims. and have come to make
you my victim"
While the speakers eyes showed diff
ferent emotions. his face retained the
same invariable sardonic expression.
Every well. monsieur" he said.
will you kindly refer me to any friend
of yours who will receive a message
from me in your behalf?"
Friend? Are not we-thOse you
have killed-La Tour, Desmoulins,
MERCER, La Rogue and the others, in
Guiding your last victim, the American
all my seconds? Come monsieur; have
arranged for a private room in the fenc-
ing academy of NJ. Meydieu. Let us
proceed there"
But there is the selection of weap-
AS the challenS ed party you have the
right to choose
Terms, Weapons, Do the dead
need to dispute about such things?
They are for you to decide. not u.s."
"Us?"
tive, not an individual. But we will
not waste words. Come; let us be Off"
Veilliers rose, and the stranger slip
ped his arm through that Of his an
tagonist, keeping his face turned to-
ward him all the while. Veilliers
shook him off, but the stranger walked
beside him, those who had been dining
with the latter following, to the fenc-
ing academy, where they were shown
into a private room. Veilliers chose
foils and the fight began
BY this time the duelist showed signs
Of unsteadiness. The strangers con-
fidence, his Indifference as to terms
and weapons, his talk about represent
ing Veilliers' victims, and, above all,
his sardonic smile, had produced an
effect. The duelist, as soon as he be-
gan to fence, strove not to look at his
opponent. But he must keep his eye on
that Of his antagonist, and he could
not do this without the smile being
constantly before him. Indeed, do
what he would, it drew his sight from
that feature on watching which his
life depended. The unknown, observ-
ing this, waited till his enemy's gaze
was diverted, then made quick lunge
and ran him through the breast.
The next morning all Paris knew
that the famous Veilliers had been
killed in a duel by an American named
Glenwood. But few knew that Glen
wood had relied almost entirely on
breaking down his antagonists nerve
through his conscience. The South
Carolinian's face had been painted by
a skilled artist and so delicately done
that the paint could not easily be dis
covered. 1t was assurance backed by
this device that enabled Glenwood to
rid the world Of the duelist.
Miss Ellison, who had gone into
mourning for her lover, was one Of the
nrst to hear Of this remarkable duel.
When she learned the name of the
conqueror her surprise was great in
deed. He had long been her friend
q sort Of brother-but she would not
have expected him to endanger his life
to avenge her. She sent for him to
come to her at once.
"Why did you do it," she asked.
"Do not ask me now," was the re-
ply; "some time in the future I may
tell you"
Suppose your effort to work on the
mans nerves had failed"
81 should have been another victim"