Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-12
The Daily Story
THE DUELISTS-BY F. A. mitchell.
Copyrighted. 1918. by AsscciateI Literary Bureau

girl he loyed could have given away
the secret of the meeting. No; she had
locked him up TO prevent his being
killed by De la Tour. She surely would
not turn him over to another fate far
more terrible. He was wondering how
the secret could have got out and
whether there was any hope for him
when he and the messenger entered
the palace. He was taken to a cham
Der. where he was placed in charge of
a guard and notice OF his arrival sent
to the cardinal.
Presently an attendant came for him
and led him TO another apartment and
as he entered by one door he saw De
Ia Tour ushered in by another. The
cardinal sat In an armchair 1t one side.
and near him stood Mile. Remercier in
mans apparel. The two duelists ad-
vanced and bowed to the cardinal. But
what was most astonishing were a
headsman's block and ak at one end OF
the room. There was no executioner
present. but the culprits expected 10
see him enter at any moment.
Gentlemen" said the minister, "you
are doubtless aware of the recent edict
against dueling. and. having conspired
to disobey 1t. your lives are forfeited"
Both men bowed low.
II have decided. however, to permit
this meeting and to witness it myself.
There is an unfairness about these
duels which in this one hope to coun-
teract. You. Captain de la Tour, are
accounted the best swordsman in
learn. are one of the poorest, To enable
you to fight equitably have decided
that you shall continue the contest till
one kills the other. He who remains
alive will be dispatched by the heads
man."
But, your eminence," interposed the
informant, deathly pale, you promised
me that their lives should be spared"
And my promise is not broken by
this disposition. But for you both OF
them would be ordered to execution ut
once. cannot conceive a more noble
part than that you have acted. Since
in this realm a practice exists by which
an expert swerdsman may kill one who
| is practically defenseless you were
about to suffer death to save the I'M
skilled combatant Failing in this.
knowing that / alone had power to
prevent this injustice. you informed
me of 1t. but not till you had received
my promise that the combatants should
not be punished by death. 1t Is not my
intention to punish either of them for
disobeying the edict. but to render the
affair between them perfectly equita-
fS Ia
| for you on the floor Of this apartment.
! Take your positions and an attendant
| will hand you your weapons"
AS the cardinal spoke the last words
! the men were given rapiers, and at the
same time door opened. and a masked
man in tight fitting garments entered.
went to the block, took mp the ak and
stood ready for duty. The duelists.
!, who understood that this was mere
subterfuge of the crafty cardinal to
keep his promise to Mile. Remercier in
the letter and break 1t in the spirit
| and that one was to execute the other
and the headsman the victor. stood
facing each other, awaiting a signal TO
begin the combat. They had been
friends. and their quarrel had been in
their cups. Neither had the faintest
remembrance of its cause. Realizing
that they were about to die. they step
ped forward and embraced each other.
Meanwhile Mile Remercier had
thrown herself at the feet of the cardi-
nal TO beg for their lives. Her back
being turned to the combatants and
her head bowed. she did not see the
! embrace. The cardinal raised her and
turned her toward them.
Look" he. said. THE affair Is end
ed the way I would have all such af-
fairs ended-in a reconciliation. Gen
tlemen. put away your swords. IF you
supposed Richelieu to be so crafty as
thus to break his word to one whose
life is demanded by the kings vel
fare perhaps you are right, but you
wrong him If you think he could act
such part toward this noble girl.
You. Captain de In Tour. go TO your
quarters and be assured that II you
offend again that masked person yon-
der will see that you do not offend n
third time. Lieutenant Durant. give
you to Mile. Remercier."
The lady seized the minister's hand
!
two men. kneeling before him. begged
that he would add his blessing TO their
pardon. He gave 1t. and De In Tour
departed alone. Durant and Mile
Remercier were driven away In the
cardinals carriage.
The practice that Richelieu strove so
hard to eradicate still exists in France
TO a greater extent than in any other
c0antry. While the Anglo-Saxon has
shsndoned it. the Latin and TeutonIc
races still retain 1t. But nowhere is IL
80 deadly as 1t was in France when
Cardinal RIcbelien tried 10 break IL
mp. Today there are several hundred
duels fought annually IN France. but
, rarely does one result fatally. the oh
jeot OF each of the combatants being
IN pink" the other. and at the letting
Of a few drops of blood the affair is
usually called off
Trne IL IN American