Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-09
The Daily Story
Through His Nerves-By Willard Ma1tbie.
Copyrighted 1915 by Associated Literary Bureau

him cutting notches on the cane yvh;at
/ bears the number Of bis victims ~.
ertheless he has splendid nerve 80
this being the only possible aven,..
through which TO attack him. no "a Its
BILE to die natural death IN his bed
Kenworthy dwelt on this stateroo,.
! a long while-a man with splard,5
! nerve. whom an enemy could bora
/ to attack only through that neryo
/ How might the nerve be ATTACKED,
| He learned that Charter. like rro..
Frenchmen, had been born a Ron,r
Catholic, though he had never been "a
mass or confession since his bovhooa
Kenworthy went to a priest and sinh.
mitted a plan for bringing Charlie,
back into the fold, but, If this wers
not practicable to prevent his com.
hitting any more murders.
The priest sought the duelist and
tried to convince him Of the Nervousness
of his crimes. Charter was unmoyed
After expanding upon him ali the Der.
suasiYe eloquence he possessed with.
out avail the priest said to him:
"Be it 50. 1 leave you to your fate.
for no man who practices deliberate
murder as you do can come to any
good end. Beware and repent before
it is too late. If you do not Gods
wrath viii surely smite you''
For the first time during the inter
view Charter WINGED. The father left
him without another word, and the
duelist sat for some time lost in
thought. Then he took up the cane
TIT H.
victims. There were twenty notches.
He cut one more, saying to himself:
81 will make good this last notch;
then I will retire on my laurels."
That evening Charter dined at
cafe where he was used to taking his
meals He had few friends and dined
alone. a young man entered the cafe
and took a seat at table where he
faced the duelist, fixing & calm, res
olute look upon him. Charter endured
it for a time, then said in the usual
icy tone he used in beginning an al.
fair:
Monsieur, appear to interest you"
"You certainly do, since l represent
your Victims said the man in broken
French.
Charter started.
ri am commissioned by your last vic
tim, Armand Trudeau, to avenge him.
continued the stranger.
Recovering himself sufficiently to re-
tain his outward GOODNESS, Charter
said: 81 do not wish to be disturbed at
my dinner. Please let me have your
card and a friend of mine will call on
you
What for, monsieurF
ITO arrange a meeting between US"
There is no necessity to arrange a
l will meet you on the ground
where you killed Armand Trudeau at
6 tomorrow morning. You shall have
your friends with you and choose the
weapons you prefer. As for me, l
need no human assistance"
Charter looked at the man in Won
der. He would have no seconds, would
leave the choice OF weapons TO his enc
N.Y. What did it mean? He nodded
an assent and went on with his dinner.
The stranger continued to stare at him.
Finally when Charter raised a glass
Of wine to his lips his hand trembled.
As soon as he had finished his dinner
making an effort to appear unconcern-
ed, he arose from the table.
"Adieu till tomorrow, monsieur"
In the morning Charter arrived with
lis seconds bearing rapiers. While he
vas waiting for his antagonist a car
'iage drove up, and his enemy alight-
d. There was on his face a look OF
,ooI resolution, indicating that he had
10 fear whatever for the result. Being
;iven a rapier and his enemy another,
he two faced each other, and the en-
ounter began
The stranger showed himself only
air fencer. He kept his eye on that
f his antagonist, as is customary with
encers, and it produced an effect.
,hartier astonished his seconds by his
weak thrusts. his almost unsuccessful
efense. Under the influence OF his
ntagonist's eye he grew weaker, more
till at last the stranger,
aking advantage of his mental condi-
ion, ran him through the heart
Gentlemen" said the man who had
illed him, "it no longer serves my
TO remain incognito. Here IS
~ card"
1He udIle on II WIS E5bGlL hSN
'orthy.
A year passed before Vivien Went
-orth met the man who had avenged
er. Shortly before their meeting she
card who killed Charter and sent for
i'm.
1t was n singular meeting between
lie bereaved girl and the man WHO
'enged her. Kenworthy stood wait
g for her to speak. Several times she
'sayed to do so, but either she could
ot frame in words what she felt ID
ar heart or her tongue refused 10 Ut
r them. At last she held ont he'
md TO him, and at the same time 90
e felt was expressed in her features
18th far more intensity than words
uld have given il. Eenworthy sprans
rward, seized it and covered it WIZ
SSeS