Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1914-11-05
ing to make him pay for spelling that

hct otS ~.
"well. what are you going to do
about it,"
challenge him, of course. You go
right of and attend TO the matter for
me-"
Had not better try to settle it? He
may accept an apology"
II apologize TO him! Not Il bit of it,
But suppose he will apologize to
J you?"
iii accept no apology from the man
who spoiled that shirt. III spoil one
for him. only there'll be blood on 1t in
stead of claret."
At the moment Paul Desmoulins. an
other OF Neds friends. came in. and
Munier communicated the affair to
him. taking care TO repress his mirth
that the American was intending TO
fight the foremost duelist in France.
and willingly. since he had spoiled his
shirt. Desmoulins protested against an
encounter in which Thorne would sure
ly be killed. and the picture he drew of
Ned's chances staggered him. But a
glance at his shirt. which he contin-
ued to hold up for inspection. brought
the blood TO his cheek. and he swore
he would have the hearts blood OF the
man who had ruined it,
Half an hour later Munier entered
the room of Louis Girardet. strug
Cling artist. and. laughing. said:
Its working famously. He says
he'll have your hearts blood"
I 'Why is he so vengeful? Was it the
wine in his face?"
mo. the wine on his shirt You
ruined the best one in his wardrobe"
did you tell him that only fight
to kill?"
Yes, and it would probably weaken
him if he were not so enraged about
the loss of his pet shirt"
Girardet looked grave.
1--WE come" said Munier. with a
challenge Paul came in as we had
arranged, opportunely, and agreed to
act as Thorne's second"
"But what are we to do?'
Il don't exactly know. We must
find some way out of 1t. never
dreamed that he would insist on fight
ing when ! told him you-or. rather.
LIE Crux. whose card you used-was
the most noted duelist in France.
Don't you think you could stand him
off with foils till we can persuade
him to cry Enough"
81 stand him off with foils? I'm
no fencer."
That's bad" thoughtfully. PTS
tolls won't do. Either he or you might
get killed"
what did you fellows mean by get
ting me into this scrape anyway
why, we supposed his talk about
dueling was a boyish fancy bubbling
up in him. l think all would have
gone well if you hadn't made him
mad. You might have called him an
ass or puppy or anything like that.
but when it came to bespattering the
front Of that immaculate shirt it was
too much"
How would it do for me to apollo
gize?"
HE says he won't accept any apol-
ogy from the man who ruined his
shirt"
How about getting him another
one?"
IL don't believe we could match 1T
We'll. you fellows who concocted
this scheme have got to do something.
I'm not going to get killed simply to
furnish you sport"
There was conference on the part
Of the conspirators. and after several
hours of debate it was decided TO APP
peal TO the Americans generosity.
When the two dueing parties appear
ed the next morning at sunrise I'm the
Bots de Boulogne the French princi-
pal appeared with his right arm in
sling
What does that meany" asked the
American.
IN. lie Crux has had the misfor-
tune to break his right arm"
Can he fence as well with his
left?"
"Parbleu. He cannot fence at all
with his left
Then what the dickens do you mean
by standing me up against man who
can't defend himself?"
Perhaps now that NJ. lie Crux is dis
abled he will offer an apology
Apology be hanged. Do you sup
pose | would wiring an apology from a.
man ON such terms?"
Munier went to the pretended lie
Crux, conversed in an undertone and.
returning to Thorne. said:
m. lie Crux is much impressed
with your generosity. He is sorry
for what occurred and would be happy
to replace the shirt he ruined. but ne
has just been robbed of all his ready
money"
Never mind the shirt: how much
has be LOST
Five hundred francs" (Sl00,.
Thorne took out his pocketbook and
extracted five 100 franc notes.
Here. tell him he needn't return
this till be gets ready. Ask him If he
will fofn ~ ot hroalyfoot ot tho n 20