The Detroit times., 1913-11-14
CHAPTER XIV.
Valiant Asks a Question.

)okn Valiant Asks Question.
oltant went With them TO the outer
A painful thought was hooding
mtnd. n hampered his speech and
Mac bnly by violent effort that
I0pnd voice:
One moment. There is question
rOuld like to ask.
10Th gentlemen had turned upon the
Spe and as they faced him nc
Nkht swift glance passed between
~. They waited courteously, the
t<0F with his habitnal frown, the
Mars hand fumbling for the black
Non on his waistcoat.
ttntnce came here, | have heard
Nils tone was uneven---"of duel in
njchs my father was a principal
here Was such a meeting
~There was said the doctor after
sliehtest pause Of surprise. Had
~ kncwn nothing Of itg'
Absolutely nothing
lThe major cleared hrs throat. 1T
- something he might naturally not
ave made a record of, he said. The
"a had been friends, and tit was
fntal encounter for the other. The
3ctor and | were your fathers sec
hds."
There was a moments silence be-
nv Valiant spoke again. When he
ID HIS voice was steady. though drops
sprung TO his forehead. Was
6re any circumstance in that meet
~ that might he construed as reflect
= on is-honors"
zsC3ood God, no." said the major ex-
oGively.
-On his bearing as a gentleman
There was hiatus this time in
Itch he could hear his heart beat.
that single exclamation the major
6nned 10 have exhausted his voca-
Mary. He was looking at the ground.
vas the doctor who spoke at last.
~ silence that TO the man In the
0rway weighed like hundred atmo-
heres.
EMO he said bluntly. Certainly
What put that into your head"
when he was alone in the library
3iant opened the glass door and
w from the shelf the morocco case.
- old shiver of repugnance ran over
70 ii the very touch OF the leather.
fhe farfhest corner was low com
lie. He set the case on this and
5Hed the big tapestry screen across
angle, hiding 1t from view.
Ihe major and the doctor walked
eilcncc iii they had left Damory
ut far behind them. Then the
&tor observed caustically, Mice
&cefsil little act OF yours. yanking
q internal pistol out before his face
that
{sHow in Sam Hill could guess?"
Uther resorteG. "it's lpng enough
IN taw that Old case. IL
Dtsfss 81 there myself. Southall-.
~ we're rac-ning, Immediately after
x meeting. 70 think OF its lying
1xe r2tspofed in that empty room
Efhrse rnars,''
xhc~c as aao.her silence. How
1aht he rat tne question to us'
~ OF. frcm the shoulder, for all
word ike his father Well, ycn
the right tfing. There ere times
III gentleman simply has 10 lie
one
Ehe doctor shut bis teeth with q
~, As though ne had caught a rab-
lock here. Bristow." he said
EW 1--WE never cared hang what
- 0p]uicps of Valiant were after
k DUE, I'll keen my own.
40h all right" reioHed the major.
N let's be honest with ourselves.
j0u cctl.d split silver dollar nine
Us ont CT ten at fifteen PAGES,
11d yea exchange shots with a
~ who was beside himself with
66or?''
~ Valiant was 4 dead shot. the bet
for him. said the docr0r grimly.
0asSoon was drunk. SO much the
NE for Sassoon. His condition was
Affairs Of his seconds. Valiant
no more responsible for II than
the quarrel. Neither was OF HIS
HING. Just because man Is 4
TX shot and stays sober, is he ~
ID aHy insult--stand up TO be shot
INTO the bargain--and take no hand
The game himself? Answer me
Il didn't touch his honor, OF
xrBe." replied the major. I'VE
|M all agree or that. He was with
nts rights. But it wasn't like
1lant."
They were al the parting now and
major held out his hand. ooh,
he said, tits long enough ago.
there's nothing against his son
~ the young chap. Southall He
father oil over again, ehg"
*When / first saw him." said the
Tor hushily. II thought | had slia
- thirty years and that our Beauty
isn't was lying there before me-
lived him, Bristow, and somehow
ntever' happened that day at the
4mlccks--it couldn't make a damned
Of difference to me-"