Evening star., 1940-06-02
Wvstrotsd by AIon MoxweN

but am sure you are quicker - physically,
besides. of course. mentally. The position you
have placed me in is intolerable l propose,
then, to put the revolver on the table, We
shall stand at an equal distance from it. If
reach it first and you cannot take it from me.
shall kill you. advise you to use all your
energy to attempt to finish me first"
You are somewhat blunt Captain de
Traz admitted. He glanced quizzically at the
revolver, now on the table, And in your
bluntness you have forgotten that, unless l
agree to duel, you must either leave without
satisfaction or kill me as butcher would a
hog
Forier felt the skin of his forehead tighten,
and queer. mustardy tang rose in his nose
and mouth. IF you force me, III do it." he
muttered thickly.
The other laughed. Il am sure no officer of
the Legion with record 50 gallant as yours
would find that possible Look, Captain: I'll
accept your proposal provided first you ex-
plain the reason for it and tell me why you
think it just
When there was no answer but Forlier's
reddening face and quicker breath, he contin-
ued: Then shall begin for you. Apparently
this is an affair of honor. 1t follows that you
have convinced yourself am involved with
Madame Forlier. But am more difficult to
convince, and that is what insist you do be-
fore risk my life. Come, Captain, l think
am being very generous"
With difficulty Forlier restrained himself as
he watched the writer unhurriedly take
chair, cross his legs, lean back He cursed the
hesitation he had sworn he would not have;
it had exposed him to this bland insolence and
mockery. But you cannot shoot man as he
looks at you from chair
Surely" de Traz observed, your grounds
must be easy to explain. Was it letter.
You admit you have written to herr'
Did you force the confession from herr"
, 1T was not =" Then Forlier realized that
he, who had been so grievously wronged, had
been put on the defensive He stood in hot,
angry silence.
n VETERAN of the African service, he had
known the risks he ran when he had brought
his wife to an outpost There was the heat,
boredom. the solitude made necessary by the
husbands military duties, and these often
brought sad results. But he loved Marguerite
so much that he had forgotten the old resolu-
ton not to marry until he was in France per-
manently. 1t had been love match, love at
first sight at the mountain resort, Chamonix,
where he had met her, while he was con-
valescing from wound received in Morocco
She had had no dowry; both her family and
his had disapproved. But he had married her
against all odds - and paid for it.
Il would send you Forler," the colonel
had told him not long ago, when dangerous
job had been in order, but you are too re-
Gently married - you would fret about your
wife being alone. am sending Lamarche.
Lamarche had gone south and walked into
one of the finest shows in years and had come
back major. His career was made. While he,
Forlier had to wait his turn on the list, wait
- who could know how long? 1t had not been
Marguerite's fault of course. She had not
even been consulted. But she might have
shown little appreciation of his sacrifice. She
had not so much as mentioned that he might
have been in Lamarche's place! How could he
keep it from weighing on him? Perhaps he had
been surly once or twice; maybe the two or
three quarrels had been his fault. But were
they reason for this?
He had not sus pected her when de Traz had
come to the outpost. Indeed, he had been
haDDv tO have the man in his house OCCASION