Newspaper Page Text
1 J\ j
( BSBS??yg Woman i
By Harold M&.cGrath V sssid
vivif? Copyright, i coo, &•?
iT**. r* : •-*.*: By Hsxold M: Grath. :“-. C' .v. .•;>:;?■M
chill up nty spine. A dnel!
“The devil!" said I under my breath.
1 knew less nlMiut fencing than I did
al>out aerial navigation, which was
precious little. The fact that Gretchen
was now smiling aggravated the situa
tion. I could not heip the shudder.
Why. the fellow would make a sieve
out of rne!
“Will you look at my passports
now?” 1 asked. “You mav not have
the opportunity again.”
“Your passports from now on will be
void.” was the retort. "But I shall be
pleased to give you a passport to the
devil. I shall kill you.” complacently.
"Think of my family." suit! I, u
■trange humor taking possession of
me.
“You should have thought of your
family before you struck me that
blow.” he replied.
My laughter was genuine. Even
Gretchen smuggled a smile. The lieu
tenant had taken my remark in all se
riousness. “You will not run away?”
he asked.
“I shall probably be obliged to run
away tomorrow,” said 1 smoothly. "I
should not l>e aide to account for your
presence here. But I shall await your
return from the barracks, never fear.”
All this was mere bravado. Honestly,
1 shrunk within my clothes and shiver
ed in my shoes. But I bad an unfailing
nerve. Some cull it bluff.
Gretchen had been whispering to the
innkeeper. When in* moved from her
side, she was smiling.
“What the deuce Is she smiling
about?” 1 wondered. “Does the wom
an take me for a modern D’Artag
nan ?”
"Innkeeper,” said the lieutenant, “If
this man Is not here when I return I’ll
take satisfaction out of your hide.”
The innkeeper shrugged. “1 have
never heard of an Englishman running
away."
“And I have seen many a German do
that." 1 put m. "liow am I to know
that your going to the barracks is not
a ruse?”
Ho gnsjxni. The words would not
come which would do justice to his
feelings. Fie drew off one of his gloves
snd threw it Into my face. It stung
me. I should have knocked hint down
but for the innkeeper stepping be
tween.
"No, herr, ’ he sail; “do not disable
him."
“Von had best go to the barracks at
once.” said I to the lieutenant. My
clothes were too small for me no..', and
1 did not shiver in my shoes. My
"Yankee” blood was up. 1 would have
fought him with linttleaxes.
"Herr." said the innkeeper when the
two had made off for the barracks,
“you are a man of courage.”
“Thanks.” said I.
“I>o you know anything about ra
piers?” lie asked.
"I know the handle from the blade;
that’s ail. But that does not make any
difference. I'd tight him with any
weapon. lie struck me, aid then
then lie kissed (iretchen."
”1 have wiped it off, herr." said
Gretclien dryly. Then she passed frotn
the room. I went up stairs too. 1
looked out of my window. There was
moonlight, possibly the last time I
should ever see moonlight in the land
of the living. Nothing blit a mishap on
my opponent’s part and that early in
the combat would save my epidermis.
The absurd side of the affair struck
me, and I laughed mirthlessly, but
none the less I laughed. If it had been
pistols, the chances would have been
equal. A German does not like pistols
as a dueling apparatus. They often
miss tire. A sword is a surer weapon.
And then the French use them—the
pistols—in their fiascocs. Rapiers? 1
was as familiar with the rapier as 1
was with the Zulu asftngai. I unstrap
ped my traveling case and took out
Phyllis’ photograph. I put it hack. If
I was to have a last look at any wom
an, it should be at Gretchen. Then I
pot out my cane and praet ; >d thrust
ing and parrying. My Ist was
strong.
“Well,” I mused, “there’s consolation
In knowing that in two hours I shall be
either dead or alive.”
L dung the cane into the corner. To
pass away the time 1 paced back and
forth. It passed too quickly, and it
was not long ere I heard the clatter of
the returning cavalrymen. Some one
knocked at my door. I swung it open
and was thrown to the floor, bound and
gagged In a tenth of a minute.
“Put him on the bed,” whispered the
leader of my assailants. When this
was done, the voice added. “Now you
can go to the stables and wait there till
I call you.”
It was the innkeeper. He surveyed
me for a moment and scratched his
chin.
“Will herr keep perfectly quiet if i’
take the handkerchief from his
mouth?” he asked. 1 nodded, bewil
dered. *
“What in tophet does this mean 7” I
asked. I did not say tophet, but it
looks better in writing.
“It means nothing and everything,”
was the answer. “In the first place,
herr will fight no duel. The man with,
whom you were to fight-was sent on an
errand to this out of the way place as
a punishment for his dueling at the
capital. I know him by reputation.
He is a brawler, but a fair swords
man. He would halve you as I would
a chicken. There is another who has a
prior claim on him. If there Is any
thing left of Herr Lieutenant at the
end of the fray, you are welcome to It.
Yes; there will In* a duel, but you will
not be one of the principals. It Is All
arranged.”
“But I do not understand,” I cried.
“It is not necessary that you should.”
He laughed and rubbed bis hands in
pleasurable anticipation. “There is a
young man down stairs who arrived a
few moments before the lieutenant,
lie has a special affair. There were
words. Herr Lieutenant is mad enough
to fight a whole company.”
“Then why In heaven’s name am I
Up nete In tLis condition?" ! cried.
“Let me go and be the young man's
second, though I can’t for the life of
me see where he has come from so sud
denly and 1 might say opjwrtunely.
Come, cut me loose.”
“It is too late.”
“Too late?”
"Yes. Herr Lieutenant has been in
formed that you ran away.”
"Ran away!” i roared. “You told
him that I ran away? Curse your Inso
lence! i'll break every bone in your
body for this!" I cried, straining at the
ropes.
"The ropes are new,” said he. "You’ll
hurt yourself.”
“You told him that 1 ran away?”
Inis was too much.
“1 cs. Ah. but you will be surprised.
The duel will last five minutes. Herr
Lieutenant will thrust. The thrust will
be parried. He will feint; useless.
Thrust on thrust, parry on parry. Con
sternation will take the place of confi
dence. He will grow nervous. He
will try all his little tricks, and they
will fail. Then his eyes will roll and
his breath come In gasps. Suddenly he
thinks he sees an opening. He lunges.
Ach. the fool, it Is all over!" The old
man’s voice quivered with excitement.
He had passed bis time in the barracks
and had seen many a sword skirmish.
“Well, are you going to take off these
ropes?”
“Xo. You would break every bone in
my body.”
1 groaned in exasperation.
“You will soon be out of breath.”
Oh, could I have but loosened those
cords!
"Slalilherg, who left the service a
year ago. will act in the capacity of
second.” Stahlberg was at the head of
the vineyard. “I shall watch the af
fair from the window here. The scene
of action will take place in tin* clearing
beyond. It will he an affair worth wit
nessing.”
“And where is Gretchen?"
“Where site should la*—at the bar, a
dutiful barmaid.” Then 1 heard noth
ing but the deep cacninnatious of the
innkeeper. There wan. something in
the affair which appealed to his humor.
1 could not see It. For ten minutes my
vocabulary was strictly unprintable.
“Will you kindly tell me what the
meaning of all this Is?”
“Herr Wlnthrop, the idyl has come to
an end. The epic now begins.”
CHAPTER XII.
The golden summer moon was lar up
now. and the yellow light of it came in
to tiie window and illumined the grim
face of the innkeeper, throwing a gro
tesque shadow of him on to the floor.
The leaves rustled and purred against
the eaves. As the branches moved so
diil the light and darkness move over
the innkeeper's visage. He was silent
and meditative.
“An epic?" I said.
“An epic.”
“Innkeeper,” said I, “if 1 give you
my word of honor not to molest you or
leave this room will you let me be a
.witness?”
Ho passed into the gloom, then back
Into the light. “This is no trick?” sus
piciously. “I have a deal of regard for
my old bones, old as they are.”
“On my honor."
“Well. I'll do it. It is in the blood of
us all. Rut a false move on your part,
and 1 promise you that this knife shall
find a resting place in you.”
lie cut the ropes, and I was free.
P.ut my arms ached. The two of us
took our stand fy the window and
Uvaited for the principals in the drama
about to be enacted in the clearing. 1
confess that my conscience was ill at
ease. Why I knew not. 1 was dread
ing something. I knew uot what. The
Innkeeper’s hand trembled on my arm.
"Sh! They come,” he whispered.
As I looked beyond his finger I saw
four figures advance over the sWard.
One of them, a slight boyish form, was
new to me. The fellow walked briskly
along at the side of Stahlberg, who
was built on the plan of Hercules.
When they came to the clearing, they
stopped. The seconds went through
the usual formalities of testing the
temper of the sWords. Somehow I
“could not keep my eyes off the young
ster who was going to do battle with
the veteran, and 1 could not help won
dering where in the world he had come
from and why In the world he had
chosen this place to settle his dispute
in. There were plenty of convenient
places in the village in and around the
barracks. He took ids position, back to
me, so 1 could not tell wbat he was
like. The moon shone squarely in the
lieutenant’s face, upon which was an
expression of contempt mingled with
confidence. My heart thumped, for I
had never seen a duel before.
“I do not know where you came
from,” I heard the lieutenant say. “but
you managed nicely to pick a quarrel.
It Is all on your own head. It is too
bad that cur of an Englishman had to
run away."
The Innkeeper's knife was so close
that I could feel the point of it against
my ribs So I gave up the wild idea of
I yelling from the window that I hadn’t
run away. The lieutenant's opponent
shrugged. IB* placed himself on guard.
; That was his reply. Suddenly the two
j sprang forward, and the clash of
swords followed. I could not keep
track of the weapons, but I could see
that the youngster was holding his
j own amazingly well. X'eitber was
touched tlie first bout.
| "Two minutes,” murmured the old
rascal at my side. “It will be over this
time."
“You seem to have a good deal of
confidence In your man." s**id I.
“There Is not a finer swords—swords
man in the kingdom, or on the conti
nent for that matter. There, they are
at it again!"
Step by step the lieutenant gave
ground. The clashing had stopped. It
was needlelike work now. Gradually
they began to turn around. The blades
flashed 111 the moonshine like heat
lightning. My pulse attuned itself to
every stroke. I heard a laugh. It was
full of scorn. The lunch—it recalled to
me a laugh I had heard before. Evi
dently the youngster was placing with
the veteran. I become fascinated. And
while the innkeeper and I watched a
curious thing happened. Something
seemed to Im* slipping from the young
ster's head. He tried to put up bis free
baud, hut the lieutenant was making
furious passes ,\ flood of something
dimly yellow suddenly fell about the
lad’s shoulders. Oh. then I knew! With
a snarl of rage l took the innkeeper by
the throat and hurled him. knife and
all. to the floor, dashed from the room,
thence to the stairs, down which I
leaped four at a time. Quick as I was,
I was too late. The lieutenant’s sword
lay on the grass, and lie was clasping
his shoulder, with the sweat, of agony
on his brow.
“A woman!” he groaned. “A wom
an!" Then he tottered and fell in the
arms of his subordinate. He bad faint
ed.
“This will make a pretty story!”
cried the young officer as he laid bis
superior lengthwise and tried to
stanch the flow of blood. "Here’s a
man who runs away and lets a woman
—God knows what sort—fight his duels
for him. the cur!”
1 never looked at him, but went
straight to Gretchen. Stahlberg gave
me a questioning glance and made a
move as though to step between.
“Stand aside, man!" I snapped.
"Gretchen. you have dishonored me.”
“It were better than to bury you,”
lightly. "I assure you he caused me no
little exertion.”
Yet her voice shook, and she shud
dered as she cast aside the sword.
"You have made a laughing stock of
me. I am a man and can fight my ow n
-a 7
Hr tottered and tell in the arms of his
subordinate.
battles," I said sternly. “My God,”
breaking down suddenly, “supposing
you had been killed.
“It was not possible. And the man
insulted me, not you. A woman? Very
well. 1 can defend myself against ev
erything but calumny. Have I made a
laughing stock of you? It is nothing
to me. it would not have altered
my"— She was very white, and she
stroked her forehead.
“Well?” said l.
“It would not have altered my deter
mination to take the sword in hand
again."
She put her hand to her throat ns
though something there bad tightened.
"Ah, 1 am a woman, for I believe that
I am about to faint. No!” imperious
ly as 1 threw out my arms to catch
her. “1 can reach the door aloue with
out assistance.”
And so we went along. 1 did not
know what to do nor yet what to say.
A conflict was raging in uiy heart be
tween shame and love—shame that a
woman had fought for me and won
where I should have lost, love that
strove to spring from my lips in exulta
tion. I knew not which would have
conquered had I not espied the blood
on Gretchen’s white hand.
“You are wounded!” I cried.
She gazed at her hand as though she
did not understand; then, with a little
sob and a little choke, she extended her
arms toward me and stumbled. Was
ever there a woman who could look on
blood without fainting? Gretchen had
not quite fainted, but the moou had
danced, she said, and all had grown
dim.
Gretchen. why did you risk your
llte? In God’s name, what manner of
woman are you and where did you
learn to use the sword? Had you no
thought of me?” I was somewhat in
coherent.
“No thought of you?” She drew the
back of her hand over her eyes. “No
thought of you? 1 did it because—be
cause I did not —I could not —you would
have been killed!”
1 was a man—human. I loved her. I
had always loved her, 1 had never
lot ed any one else. I was a coward t ■
{TO BE COXTllirip]
AMERICAN C )MPETITION-.
Englishmen Complain of Rivalry In
Iron and Steel Products.
London, Feb 20. —The Duke of
Devonshire presided today at a
meeting of the Furness Railway
Company in this city. He attrib
uted the serious depression in the
iron and steel indurtries to Ameri
can competition, and predicted that
the competition, would become
more acute, especially in rails, in
which further depression was inev
itable He declared that with
coal at its present enormous price,
it was hopeless to try to meet the
competition in foreign steel.
Sir Christopher Furness, M. P.,
in an address to the shareholders of
the Stephenson company, of New
castle said that the American lo
com dive trade had increased 450
per cent, while the British trade
had decree sed 25 per cent. He
added that, as the Stephenson com
pany could not obtain in Newcastle
the accommodation necessary to
enable it to compete with foreign
ers, the works vvculd be transferred
to Darlington.
A Prominent Chicago] Woman Speaks
Prof, R'fXa Tyler, of Chicago
Vice-President Illinois Woman’s
Alliance, in speaking of Chamber
lain’s Cough Remedy says. "I suf
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it relieved me at once. lam now
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& Greene, druggists.
March Ladies’ Home Journal
“ The Only American Girl Who
Ever Married a King,” ‘‘The Love
liest of all Kentucky Girls, ‘‘The
Anecdotal Side of Theodore Roose
velt,” and “The Author’s Reading
at Bixby Centre,” by Kate Doug
las Wiggin, will have a wide read
ing in the March Ladies’ Home
Journal. And “The Gibson Play,”
too. It accentuates the satirical
humor of Charles Dana Gibson’s
‘‘Widow and Her Friends” in a
two-act co.nedy by Marguerite
Merington. The illustrations by
Mr. Gibson are characteristic and
interesting. Edward Bok’s editor
i-ils and Helen Watterson M >ody’s
‘‘Girls Who ‘Go In’ for Something”
are helpful in counsel, and will be
profitably read. “The Story of a
Young Man” is completed in the
March Journal, and “The Succes
sors of Mary the First” presents
new and extremely funny compli
cations and vexations. A good
share of space is devoted to Easter
fashions in feminine attire, and
there are articles on cooking, china
painting. “A Successful Country
House at Bryn Mawr,” “A Sub
urban House for $6500”; a page
picture showing “The Old Stage
and the Turnpike”’ of W. L. Tav
lor’s-‘‘The Last Hundred Years in
New England” series,and “Through
Picturesque America”—two pjdges
of photographs of views in Cuba
and Porto Rico. A feature of the
March Journal is Eugene Field’s
"Armenian Lullaby,” set to music.
By the Curtis Publishing Company,
Philadelphia. One dollar a year;
ten cents a copy.
Dr. Cady’s Condition Powder
are just whai a horse needs when
in bad condition. Tonic, nlood pur
ifier and vermifuge. They are not
food but medicine and the best in
use to | ut a horse in pri._je condi
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For sale by all druggists.
Re ;c and Rates to Washington Ard
count Inauguration.
The Southern Railway, the great
trunk line from the south’to Wash
ington offers specially reduced
rates to Washington, D. C., for the
inauguration of President McKin
ley, March 4th, 1901, as follows:
Por individuals, (single tickets)
rate of one first class fare for the
round trip, to be sold March Ist,
2nd and 3rd, with final limit March
9 th, 1901.
For regular organized military
companies and brass bands in uni
form accompanying them, twenty
five (25) or more cn one ticket
still lower rates will be granted
Tickets to be sold Match Ist, 2nd
3rd, with final limit March 9th,
1901.
The service of the Southern
Railway is by far the mon com
plete and fastest of any line from
the south.
For detailed information as to
rates, reservations, etc., apply to
agent of .the Southern Railway or
connections.
W. H. Tavloe,
Asst. Gen. Pass. Agent.
duo. Atlanta, Ga. I
aSe
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