The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-08-13

were to face each other n moment later
stood silently while NJ. Flaubert re
cited the conditions that they were to
observe.
They were to stand back to back. At
a signal from NJ. Flaubert they We're
to walk in opposite directions. their
pistols hanging by their sides. When
each had proceeded ten PAGES D'Arnot
was to give the final signal-then they
were to turn and fire at will until one
fell or each had expended the three
shots allowed.
While NJ. Flaubert spoke Tarzan Sc
lected a cigarette from his East and
lighted it. De Coude was the personi-
ication OF coolness-was not he the
best shot in France?
Presently NJ. Flaubert nodded to
D'Arnot and each man placed his prin-
Cipal in position.
Are you quite ready, gentlemen"
asked NJ. Flaubert.
quite" replied De Coude.
Tarzan nodded. NJ. Flaubert gave
the signal. He and D'Arnot stepped
back a few PAGES to be out Of the line
OF fire as the men paced slowly apart.
Six, Seven, Eight, There were tears
in D'ArnOt'S eyes He loved TarZan
very much. Nine! Another pace and
the poor lieutenant gave the signal he
so hated to give. To him it sounded
the doom of his best friend.
Quickly De Coude wheeled and fired.
Tarzan gave a little start. His pistol
still dangled at his side. De Coude
hesitated. az though waiting to see his
antagonist crumple to the ground. The
Frenchman was too experienced a
marksman not to know that he had
scored a hit. Still Tarzan made no
move to raise his pistol. De Coude
fired nee more. but the attitude Of the
~ape-man-the utter indifference that
%nonchalant ease OF his giant figure and
the even. unruf1ed putting OF his ciga-
rette-had Disconnected the best marks
man In France. This time Tarzan did
not start, but again De Coude knew
that he had hit.
Suddenly the explanation leaped to
his mind-his antagonist was coolly
taking these terrible chances In the
hope that he would receive no stagger-
ing wound from any Of De Coude's
three shots. Then he would take his
own time about shooting De Coude
down deliberately, coolly and In cold
blood. A little shiver ran up the
F~renchman's spine. 1t was fiendish-
diabolical. What manner OF creature
was this that could stand complacently
with two bullets in him. waiting for the
third?
And so De Coude took careful aim
this time, but his nerve was gone, and
he made a clean miss. Not once had
Tarzan raised his pistol hand from
where it hung beside his leg.
For n moment the two stood looking
straight into each others eyes On
Tarzan's face was a pathetic express
sion OF disappointment. On De Coude's
a rapidly growing expression Of horror
yes, Of terror.
He could endure It no longer.
"Shoot, monsieur he screamed.
But Tarzan did not raise his pistol.
Instead. he advanced toward De COudc.
and when D'Arnot and NJ. Flaubert,
misinterpreting his intention. would
have rushed between them he raised
his left hand in a sign Of remonstrance.
DO not fear" he said to them. II
shall not harm him"
1t was most unusual, but they halted.
Tarzan advanced until he was quite
close to De Coude.
There must have beer something
wrong with mOnsicur's pistol" he said.
cor monsieur is unstrung. Take mine.
monsieur. and try again" and TarZan
offered his pistol. butt foremost, to the
~astoniShed De Coude.
"Mon Dieu, monsieur" cried the lat
ter. Are you mad?'
mo, my friend" replied the ape-man,
but | deserve to die. 1t is the only
way in which I may atone for the
wrong | have done a very good woman
Take my pistol and do as ! bid"
1T would be murder replied De
Coude. But what wrong did you do
my wife? She swOre to me that
Il do not mean that" said Tarzan
quickly. you saw all the wrong that
passed between us. But that was
enough to cast Il shadow upon her
name and to ruin the happiness Of a
man against whom | had no enmity.
The fault vas all mine, and so | hoped
to die for it this morning. | am disap-
pointed that monsieur is not SO won
derful n marksman as | had been led
to believe"
you say that the fault was all
yours" asked De COude eagerly.
"All mine. monsieur. Your wife is a
very pure She loves only you.
The fault that yOu saw was all mine.
The thing that brought me there was
no fault Of either the Countess de
COude or myself. Here is a paper
which will quite positively demonstrate
that And TarZan drew from his
pocket the statement Rokoff had writ
ten and signed.
TO BE CONTINUED
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