Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1917-10-19

were good taste not to mention Bell.
more's name In that manner"
And why not!" demanded Sci.
fridge. his face frowning and his tone
suddenly truculent.
Gods blood! Haven't ye heardf"
Heard what? Speak. bezonianl"
THAT poor Bellmore suicided last
night-going down under q load Of
debt"
THE devil he did" returned Sci.
fridge carelessly. well. It's bad news
for Melton here-seeing he holds Bell
more's note for hundred pounds!"
'Melton!" exclaimed the oficer,
Strengthening himself and looking
hard at me. "Is that Lieutenant Mel
TONI"
AYE. II is" returned Selfridge.
And just back from hell and Sa.
tan's grip"
The man made no reply but came
from behind the table and walked up
to me. almost thrusting his face into
mine.
And SO you are Lieutenant Mel
tom" he said with an air OF contempt.
IL have heard Of you from my best
friend. who now lies dead. I have
wished to meet you. Damn 1t. sir!
wish to say before all present here
and ] am not one to eat my words
that yoI are . poltroon. q cheat. q
cursed cheat. and that you did my
friend Bellmore for one hundred
pounds. rs you have done others for
different sums. Do you hear me. sir?"
! am Captain Merwin. of the marines.
on his majesty's frfgate Somerset. now
In the bay"
was too astonished. to speak. the
thing had come 20 suddenly. SO .unex.
>pectedly. I stepped away a pace.
Il don't know. you. sir. nor wish
to-" he continued vehemently. "for
you are a cursed coward as well. You
refused to fight my friend on the plea
that you we're the worst swordsman In
the service. and when he proposed pis-
tolls you took yourself OF on . heroic
errand for fear OF him. Damn you
for false black-hearted coward"
Now. while he was -outtering this
forth in such q fury that his words
stumbled over each other. I was doing
some mighty rapid thinking. I was
we'll enough aware OF the ethics Of the
army and the ticklish stand OF honor
among men; for In one aspect, at
least, all men and armies are alike. ]
saw that. no matter what the rights or
wrongs of the case. no matter who or
what l was. ! had better lie down and
die than not resent the broad insult
given in public. There was nothing to
do but resent Il: and ere he had got
the last word from his lips smote
him across the mouth with my open
palm. and with q force that sent him
staggering backward.
In an instant his sword Was out and
he would have sprung at me had not
one OF his own friends jumped from
the tabl and interfered.
mot that way! Ny God. Merwin,
not that way! The man Is unarmed!"
cried his companion, SELLING him
around the waist.
"Unhand me. Brown! finland me!
BY heaven, this he3 got to be settled
now; That william struck me. I'll
have his life!"
But in a regular way, Merwin-in
q regular way!" cried the other, still
holding him.
"As regular as he pleases, and the
sooner the better" I said. leaning
against the bar and affecting an ease !
was far from feeling. 1t seemed that
this could end only In complete ex
posture.
"You win fight!" exclaimed Mer
win, who had evidently looked for me
to run or apologize.
See here. sir" said ]. stepping for
ward. You have grossly insulted me
over q natter about which you tnow
nothiAG. ! chastised you rs you de-
served, and, in the circumstances, I
presume you have the right to call me
out. But sir, I cannot go out. am
engaged In secret service, and am un-
der orders; though II you will See to II
that I am furnished with q rapier,
poor swordsmsn as you call me. I will
give you satisfaction right here and
now. Perhaps I can convince you that
I have been misrepresented; however.
/ will make no future date"
The man was astonished as he WAS
pleased, and swallowed my bait. by
the glory OF the king" he exclaimed.
nothing could suit me better. seeing
that I must be aboard by sunset. I'll
teach you q lesson. Bally. stand by the
door; we'll have this thing soon over.
You'll second me, Foster! Selfridge.
I suppose you'll back your friend!
Lend him your sword. for Gods sake.
and let us 60 to work"
rather expected the host to come
In and interfere. but nothing Of the
kind occurred! neither was there an
In the room to protest. And
among those present there was not .
voice to the arrangement to
night at once: but II was plain to my |
mind that all parties. including Sci.
fridge himself. looked TO see me de-
feated. Ny second. who had become
fairly sobered by the sudden eommo