Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-14


he paid no attention To II.
Then the younger principal made a
thrust at the older one. driving his
sword through the sleeve OF the girls
dress and striking his antagonist. TIE
hitter clapNed his hand to his side. and
blood ran down over his shirt Frank
lin supposed that surely this would
end the matter. but he was disappoint-
ed. The younger man thrust more
wildly than before.
This was too much for Franklin.
Looking ahOut for some weapon. me-
spied bundle OF swords lying on the
ground. Taking up one. he ran To the
CombatantS and. putting his Glade be
tween them. called on them to deSiSt.
Both stopped and looked ut him with
q curious expression. as much as 10
say, What business is this of yours
anyway" The girl TOO. who might
have been expected to look grateful.
showed only surprise. None of theS,
three seemed to know what TO do.
Then one of them. the younger dueliSt,
looked past Franklin and evidently saw
something that decided him. At the
same time the American heard a voice
from behind him say:
stop the fight. Go right on"
What this contradiction meant he
did not know. and he was too excited
to consider. The dueiSts wiped their
swords. and the girl seeming TO gath
err her wits after the unexpected in
terruption. said to Franklin. who I'M
derstood the French language tolera-
bly, we'll:
Thanks. monsieur, for your kind in
tervention. You have doubtless saved
my fathers life. | shall be happy 10
receive you ut our apartments. No -
Rue st. II. where | nope TO be able to
show my gratitude to better advantage
than here"
Franklin bowed threw down his
sword and, feeling that to remain long
er would be indeed intrusion. took his
departure not looking behind him.
That afternoon. when the evening
journals were issued, he looked to see 4
If they had got wind of the duel. but
more especially TO learn the names OF
the statesmen who had fought. The
affair had evidently escaped the re-
pOrters.
Burning with curiosity TO know
/ whether or not he had saved the life OF
the president of France, franklin bentY
his steps to the address that had BEEN
given him by the girl he had cham
pioned. The place was an apartment
house. Since the young man had not
learned the ladys name and there
were large number Of apartments in
the building he was at n loss how to
find her. He described her to the con-
cIerge but the man said there were a
number of women living in the house
and the description fitted several of
them. Franklin went away disap-
pointed.
One evening after his return to Amer
lea Franklin while passing along a
crowded street saw a billboard in large
letters, Duel Between French States
men"
The sign was near a moving picture
show, and Franklin went in. When
the duel scene was given Franklin no.
ticed that the ground looked familiar.
Then the two groups that be had seen
while in France came on the ground.
and in the principals he recognized the
statesmen he had seen there. They
fought. one was wounded. and. clap
ping his hand TO his arm. blood fol-
lowed Franklin. watching carefully.
could see that he squeezed n sponge on
his shirt sleeve filled with a red fluid
to represent blood.
Presently In the picture n speck ap-
peared in the distance. Ii grew larger,
. and the cir! he bad seen near Paris
dashed up and threw herself from her
horse. The exciting scene that had
moved him followed 1t was so in
tense that it moved him again with
something Of the force rs before
, Suddenly tie started There he was
himself taking up a sword. lie ran TO
the comhatants and stood between
, them. They stopped fighting. but for
few moments il seemed 10 Franklin
t ithat they did not act their parts as
, they should have acted them. But
presently the play, ms 1t should have
, been. was resumed. The lady seemed
30 he speaking 10 him. ne bowed. and
then came that sudden Oblivion which
follows the end of n moving picture
scene
? FrankIin's theory I'm the matter was
this: Moving picture men In Paris
: when it was reported that two states
f.. men would fight Il duel over The pres
2 ideutiai election. with an enterprise
worthy Of America. concluded to bave
I picture Of the fight ready for tho pub
: lie while II WAS fresh Since the duet
( mad been interrupted the owners found
5 the films more available in a foreign
country.
9 When Franklin went to sleep that
! night. thinking OF what he bad seen.
ne remarked 10 himself.
I We'll. I'm glad to nave been before
b the public once IN my life even If only
D In It moving picture show. I've teen
: mixed up in one big thing during my
:. life II II was only a moving picture
I show. anh the how / made was d NJ
n closing for the performance"
II March IA IN american
= LA