The Argosy, August 1905 — page 110: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

* Where is the duel to take place? gs “Tn a quiet little courtyard just long enough for twenty paces. Don’t try to stop me, Tren. I’m all worked up about this business, and I'll have it out with that baron if it’s the last thing I ever be was as fixed as Gibraltar, and when he went away about midnight Trenwyek was m no enviable frame of mind. Baron von Lauderbach, the other principal, the major had told them, was an attaché of the German embassy at Madrid. “The old boy is on the warpath, Tren.” chuckled Blinkers, dropping the stump of his cigarette‘into one of the empty dishes and getting up with a yawn. ' * We've got to stop this duel in some way,” said Trenwyck. “T can stop it,” said Blinkers. ‘“Erow se & “ Leave that to me, Tren.” “No foolishness, Blinkers!” Tren- wyck warned him. “Sure not! ” returned the irresponsi- ble Blinkers. “Do you want me to go ahead and try my hand?” “Well, you might,” Trenwyck an- swered, yielding weakly to the gravity of the situation, “if you really think you ean accomplish anything.” Blinkers went blithely to bed and in a few minutes Trenwick followed his ex- ample. Trenwyck heard the call of the night-watch two or three times before dozing off to sleep, and when he did sleep he dreamed of duels and interna- tional complications and other things that had burdened his waking hours. It was late when he woke up and ‘gaye his attention to the bread and chocolate a waiter brought to the door. Blinkers had dressed and gone out, presumably to execute his plan for putting a quietus on the duel. Trenwyck hadnt much faith in Blnkers’ ability to have the affair called off. He had no acquaintance with the baron, but if that gentleman had come all the way to Burgos to fight it was hardly possible he could be made to apologize. Por Trenwyck to go to the alcalde with the matter would be to affront the major most direfully, yet that is pre- cisely what ‘Trenwyck was determined to do before he should allow the foolish affray to take place. By the time Trenwyck was dressed, Wickers dropped in to consult with him upon personal affairs, as a provision against fatalities. Blinkers returned during the course of their conversation and vouchsated Trenwyck a reassuring wink. Had he really accomplished any- thing? If so, what—and how? 'Tren- wyek turned this phase of the matter over in his mind as the three of them went up-stairs and had their almuerzo together. Trenwyck found no opportunity for a quiet word with Blinkers and hoped Wickers would leave them for a short time after the meal. But-he did not. He had*some tinkering to do with his revolyers, and followed them back to their rooms to do it. Blinkers continued complacent and reassuring, the major smoked and chaffed as he worked, just to show how eool he was, and Trenwyck fidgeted and fretted. While they were thus occupied, their host came to announce a caller, and the caller proved so impatient that he ran excitedly into the room at the host’s heels. The major looked up and a stern ex- pression overspread his red face. “Zimmerman, the baron’s second,” said he, shooting a glance in Trenwyck’s direction and nodding toward the caller after the landlord had retreated. Zim- merman was tremendously wrought up about something. Without any preliminaries whatever, he leaped into a torrent of German, striving to keep his frenzied gestures abreast of the oral flood. So far as Trenwyck was concerned, the German language was an unknown quantity. Blinkers, apparently under the spell of a pleasant excitement, was manufacturing a cigarette and smiling to himself. Wickers, whether he drew any sense from the harangue or not, preserved a studied indifference. Presently Trenwyck stepped forward and interrupted Herr Zimmerman, He a, " Bt 46 - < we _ comicbooks.com