Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-01-28

teeth, II he must answer for 1t I'M
der the code. Surely there is no ad-
vantage in this" NJ. Arnoux was much
puzzled at the choice of place of meet
Ing. and NJ. Blanc-who, by the bye, had
distributed the money used to buy
~votes-began to fear that some game
was to be played. Nevertheless he did
not see how he could do anything to
prevent it.
At a quarter to 10 on the morning APP
pointed for the fight NJ. Daroux, sur
rounded by his six seconds and a sur
geon. appeared In the Place de la Con-
corde, zeal the base of the obelisk.
Paris was quite alive at that hour, and
many persons were passing and repass-
ing. Seeing the party at the foot of
the obelisk, the seconds with foils I'M
der their arms, the surgeons with their
boxes of Instruments, persons stopped
to learn what it all meant. Gradually
a crowd collected, and the word was
passed from one to another that there
was to be a duel.
Can you tell me-" asked n of an
other, who that distinguished looking
man is. with his arms folded, wait
ing?"
THAT, monsieur, is M. Victor Da-
roux, candidate for election tomorrow
for the corps legislatif."
"And why so many attendantsw
"That l do not know; l am waiting
to find out"
At the moment a carriage drove up,
and M. Arnoux, attended by his Sec
ond and a surgeon, alighted. He SEEM
ed quite chagrined at seeing the crowd,
but it had been not entirely unexpect-
ed. He supposed that Daroux was In
tending to make a display of his skill
and bravery on the v of the election.
Arnoux, seeing that no one of the other
party made any advance to begin the
fight, said:
pardon me. gentlemen. If we are
to fight SO publicly it may be well to
begin at once and have it oyer with"
'There is another ahead of you, mon
sieur." replied one of Daroux's Sec
onds.
Another! What otherT'
Zone who took M. Daroux's accusa-
tons to himself"
ArnouX WINGED.
Another carriage rolled up and an
other challenger alighted. He, too,
was delayed. and before the cause of
his delay could be explained to him
four other defenders of their honor ar
rived in quick succession. The crowd
by this time had swelled and was in a
fever heat of expectation. No one un-
derstoOd why SO many men, each at
tended by a second bearing foils,
should continue to pour in. 1t happen
ed that M. Charlier, who was the first
challenger, arrived last AS soon as he
came M. Daroux's second begged the
crowd to make room, since the duel
was about to begin. The other FIVE
challengers protested, and the crowd
began to boot and yell, at the same
that there was no room for the fray.
Finally some one of the crowd yelled:
whats it all about?"
Its a put up jobi' cried one of the
b~ystanders.
"There's half a dozen of 'em picking
on one!' shouted another.
There's an advertising dodge In 1t
somewhere. Wait and see," was a
third persons explanation.
Here m a gendarme!'
Meanwhile Daroux stood silent with
folded arms. the only person whose
dignifed appearance commanded re-
spect. When the gendarme arrived
Daroux said something to him In a low
tone. to which the officer assented.
Then M. Daroux, raising his hand to
impose silence, made an explanation.
He began by telling of hearing on good
authority that a large sum was being
used to land his political opponent In
office and of his having made a blind
charge. Then he told how each of six
different men in the audience had TAX
en- the accusation to himself and de-
manded a retraction or satisfaction.
And now, my friends" continued
the speaker. IT am here to back my
words. l have accused none of these
gentlemen. They have accused them
selves. For we all know that a guilty
conscience needs no accuser."
The men who had come to fight Da-
got away as fast as they could,
amid the jeers of the crowd. Daroux
entered his carriage with his attend
ants and drove across the Seine to the
legislative building On the other bank,
attended by an enormous crowd. There
he ~alighted and made a political speech,
in which he told the story to a multi
tude of voters.
Every evening paper In Paris had ar
account of the affair, and the cafes
were filled with persons laughing at
the way Daroux had exposed the cor
ruption of his opponents. That night
he spoke to an immense concourse,
who demanded again and again to hear