Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-23
CHAPTER vI-(Continued).

CftAEl EN- N1-NSOllIliluSNy
TITHILE Monsieur Flaubert spoke Tar
w zan selected cigarette from his
case and lighted 1t. De Coude was the
personifcatlon Of coolness-was he not
the best shot in France?
Presently Monsieur Flaubert nodded
to D'Arnot, and each man placed MS
principal in position
"Are you quite ready gentlemen"
asked Monsieur Flaubert.
quite" replied De Coude.
Tarzan nodded Monsieur tlaubert
gave the signal. He and DArnot step
ped back few PAGES to be out OF the
line of fire as the men paced slowly
apart. SKI Seven! Eight! There were
tears in D'Arnots eyes. He loved Tarzan
very much Nine! Another pace, and
the poor lieutenant gave the signal he so
hated to give. To him II 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 hesi-
tated. as though waiting to see his an
tagonist crumple to the ground. The
Frenchman was too experienced marks
man not to know that he had scored a
hit. Still Tarzan made no move to raise
his pistol. De Coude fired once more, but
the attitude of the ape-man-the utter
every line of the nonchalant ease OF his
giant figure, and the even. unruffled puff
ing of his cigarette-had disconnected the
best marksman 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 ccolly taking
these terrible chances in the hope that he
would receive no staggering 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
Frenchman's spine. 1t was fiendish-dia-
bollcal 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 clean miss. Not once had Tarzan
raised his pistol hand from where 1t hung
beside his leg.
For a moment the two stood looking
straight into each others eyes. On Tar
znn's face was a pathetic expression OF
disappointment. on De Coude's a rapidly
growing expression of horror-yes, of
terror.
He could endure it no longer.
Mother of God! Monsleur-shoot!' he
screamed.
But Tarzan did not raise his pistol. In
stead. he advanced toward De Coude, and
| when D'Arnot and Monsieur Flaubert
| mislnterpreting 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."
II was most unusual. but they halted
Tarzan advanced until he was quite close
to De Coude,
There must have been something
wrong with monsieur's pistol" he said
"Or monsieur is unstrung. Take mine
monsieur and try again." and TarzaI
offered his pistol, butt foremost, to th'
sstonished De Coude.
Mon Dieu, monsieurP cried the latter
Are you madp'
EMO, my friend" replied the ape-man
"but I deserve to die. II is the only wa!
IN which 1 may atone for the wrong
have done a very good woman. Take m!
pistol and do as / bid"
"It would be murder" replied De Coude
"But what wrong did you do my wife
She swore to me that"
II do not mean that" said Tarzan
quickly. you saw all the wrong tina
passed between us. But that was enougl
10 cast a shadow upon her name and L
ruin the happiness Of a man agains
whom / had no enmity The fault wa
all mine, and so hoped TO die for 1t thi
morning / am disappointed that mon
sieur Is not so wonderful a marksman a
] had been led 10 believe"
you say that the fault was all yours7
asked De Coude, eagerly
"All mine. monsieur. Your wife Is
very pure woman. She loves only yoJ
The fault that you saw vas an min,
The thing that brought me there va
no fault Of either the Countess de Coud
Or myself. Hero Is a paper which wi
, quite positively demonstrate that" an
! Tarzan drew from his pocket the state
/ ment Rokon had written and signed.
De Coude took Ii and read. ID Arno
and Monsieur Flauhert had drawn neal
They were Interested spectators of fhi
strange ending of a strange duel Non
spoke until De Couae had quite lnsshal
thea he looked up al 4arzan.