The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-05-08
He Fulfilled the
Conditions
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

|
world, he went abroad. In Paris he
met Joel Halsted, Il fellow townsman.
who introduced him to Jules I.aboudier,
and he kindly consented to pilot the
two Americans among the sights of
| Paris and the vicinity. One day after
| having visited Versailles the trio re-
turned tired and hungry, and Labou-
| der led the way to cafe in the
| Champs Elysees for dinner.
How these two plain inhabitants OF
| the western world ever secured the
services of so elegant gentleman as
Laboudier to show them about is a
mystery. though possibly the fact that
| Nudge paid the bills had something to
do with it. Seeing that Nudge was I'M
accustomed to the tone Of high life In
Paris. the Frenchman took Halsted
apart and told him he feared that his
friend might through Ignorance put
him to the blush. But Halsted Quoted
his fears, and the three continued the
sightseeing copartnership-
During the dinner In the cafe In the
Champs Elysees party sat at the
next table to Nudge and his friends,
one of whom was dapper gentleman
FIVE feet FIVE inches high. with a wax
ed mustache and imperial. who SEEM
ed to be the center of attraction Of
those with him. When Nudge arose
from his chair this gentleman turned
to look at him with wondering eyes.
llu fric
toward the ceiling the Frenchman ex-
claimed loud enough for all to hear:
la tour dEiffelr'
Now. Nudge was sensitive on one
subject-his height. He knew that the
Frenchman had said something detri-
mental. but, not understanding French,
| was not aware that he had been COM
! pared with the Eiffel tower. He glared
| at the man who had criticised him,
surprising the remark to be more in
sutfng than it really was; then. max
ing one step, he covered the distance
between himself and his critic and,
taking him by the coat collar, held him
dangling in the air for moment, then
let him gently down on the floor.
The Frenchmans face was as red
as a turkey cocks comb, and his eyes
fairly scintillated sparks. Laboudier's
! countenance was equally expressive,
though in different way.
what have you done?' he cried to
Nudge. DO you know who that gen.
tleman is:''
THAT sawed off chap. Why, | reck-
on he's a dwarf escaped from dime
museum
He is NJ GARNER, the best swords.
man in France"
THAT doesn't make any difference
to me. I'm not a soldier
The outraged Frenchman whipped
out a card with his name on it and
flung it down on the table before
Nudge. Labouder picked it up and.
joining the other party. held CONVEX
sation in French, which his friends
did not understand. Presently he re-
turned and said that he had endeavor-
ed to explain that Nudge was an
American unacquainted with the man
ners and customs of Europeans and
tried to excuse him on that ground.
He had finally induced NJ. GARNER to
accept an apology.
apology for what?" asked Nudge.
"AIon dieu. For holding him up in
the air like jumping jack
Didn't he insult me first?'
HE simply compared you to the
Eiffel tower"
He did, did he. If I'd known that
wouldn't have let him down SO
easy"
''Then if you will not apologize you
must fight"
Fight, With that little chap! Why
Id eHt him up in two minutes"
My dear NJ. Nudge. you do not
understand You must fight him un.
der the CODE
whats the code?"
why. he'd challenge you. Therefore
you have the choice Of weapons-pis.
tolls. fois. any weapon you like. You
also have the choice of the time and the
place of the combat
"Oh, | have. have |? Well, choose
fists. l to stand on the ground, my
enemy to fight me through a second
story window. ! don't want to take
any advantage of him because he isn't
as tall as | am. He can't help his
shortness any more than | can help
my longness."
Monsieur, you do not understand
our Partisan customs. You cannot
fight with the fists. The code does not
allow. The weapons must be some
thing that will kill
M. Laboudier," Nudge replied, II
consider it my duty under the cir
cumstances to fight this NJ. GARNER
But since you say that, according tc
your code. | can choose time, place
and weapons | choose any place In
the Seine where the water is exactly
five feet five inches deep. the weapons
to be pickaXes."
The Frenchman gasped. Then he
protested. Bpt Nudge was not to be
moved from his position. 1t complied
with the conditions of the code as il
had been explained to him. What ii
it did give him an advantage of
clear sight above water, while his an
tagoniSt'S eyes were below the sur
face? Was he not entitled to such ad
vantage?
Finally Laboudier was satisfied since
Nudge was ready for fight to the
death, though in peculiar way. 1t Is
needless to say that the duel did no
take place