Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 104 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

<=ye™ —— +e - | Siew 4 The box was rosewood, silk-lined, and held every appurtenance for usein an affair of honor, & surgeon’s case of tools, with bottles of chloro- form, ether and lint, not forgettinga canteen of water and sponge, while a flask of brandy occu- pied a conspicuous place. : In fact, it was a model dueling ¢ase, and upon the top were straps for swords, which’ gave the fuelist a choice of weapons. — . Whatever magnificence Montezuma might dis- play in everything else, he certainly was ex- amg f plain in his weapons of offense and de- ense. Carefully he looked over the pistols, and then the swords, and a peculiar smile crossed his face as he laid them down, while he muttered: ‘* «This is the beginning of the end.’ ” A few moments he sat in silence, yet it did not seem painful meditation, and then a knock game at his door, and Mezrak ushered in Captain Grenvilleand Andrea Angelos. See epee gentlemen! Mezrak, some src here,” and Montezuma grasped a hand of eac “You are ready, I see,” said Andrea Ange- O8. “Yes, always am—never make any one wait forme, and never wait for any one. My car- will be at the door soon.” er a hasty cup of coffee the three» tle- men left the room, Valik following with the dueling-case, and both Captain Grenville and Andrea Angelos observed with calm surprise that Meerak, although knowing the doubl deadly mission his master was going on, ask rs coolly at what hour he should have break- ** At nine o’clock, sharp, and these gentlemen will return with me; so go down on rd the Zulah and bring back with you somie of that Persian breakfast wine.” ‘He certainly does not dread the meeting as much as we do,” said Captain Grenville, in'a low tone to the Cuban. | “No; I never saw a man with sich mastery of himself; he is wonderful, arid gives me per- fect confidence in him.” When seated in the carriage, the new pur- of Montezuma’s, and rolling rapidly out ¢© the well-known dueling-ground, where so nany brave men have gone to see the sun rise rset for the last time on earth, Captain Gren- ville remarked: “Tam very sorry, Senor Montezuma, that ‘our advent to our city is made gloomy by such «fairs as these on hand.” They are not gloomy to me, I assure you, ptain Grenville; they were not of my seek- (ng, yet could have been avoided had I so will- ed; but I think that in each case I acted as an man should have done: I protected the wea against the strong and brutal.” And you are making a lion of yourself by it, senor,” said Andrea Angelos. en Fate so wills that the lion should crush those two men with his paw. I am on the stream of Destiny, senores, inan open boat, and I do not stretch forth my hand to guide my course; I merely obey the stern commands of Fate who holds the helm. I see we are first up- on the field.” Yes; but here come the others,” and as Monte- zuma and his seconds dismounted from their yin three other vehicles drove up, follow- nee score of gentlemen upon hovesbaok. ® havea ‘fair looker-on in Wenice,’” said Geptnin Grenville, with a smile, pointing to a d t rise of sgroand upon which sat a fair yb tp vaaled, and robed in gray. fond, ~4 ~ bbe te less ae entertatt ent it gnid Mo ot ate ater | invite her atten , “ . , io fe doubt if she would come; she appears to wo some ray toa eee y away at fulls at the slightest approach on phe part,” returned Andrea 1 age and he turned from the lady on horseback to the stern duty before him. In the meantime Otis Alden, Lucien Bethune, their seconds, and those whom curi or friendly interest had brought to the field. had dipchiban ted) ud nee ing themselves be- nea @ ve-oaks that dotted the noted en of honor. . coast e nonchalance of a veteran lipe Cosala went to work with the arrange. nients, Wilber Sebestian hay . vited as his aide with Lucien ro meen Saluting Montezuma pleasantly, he proach- ed Captain ville and Andrea Atigelos. ‘ Senores, I have a case there that ma aso; it is at tho service of vour bnistiiels’ oe well as myself. - Valik, my dueling case for these gentlemen.” “ Nothing could be better, Sénor Montezuma: I must have one made exactly like it, with your ion; but you have the instruments, yet not the surgeon,” said Don Felipe, with a smile. “T make it a rule never to need the services ef such a personage, Don Felipe; the surgical instruments I bring for the use of my oppo. nents.” Tere was no braggadocie in the rem: was simaly the cool reply of one Who was elite dent of his own power. ‘The rapiers, and also the pistols are so much superior to ahy I ever saw before, we will use them. It is generous in the Senor Montezuma to give a foe the use of one-of these gray pistols, with no mark on it to attract an aim. Otis’s pistols have ivory handles, and are gold-mount- ed; these are splendid,” said Don Felipe, admir- ingly. in the meantime, Montezuma was the cyno- sure of all eyes, even Otis Alden and Lucien Bethune glancing furtively at him from under their brows, and a Decal cursing him for his utter indifference to the danger he was to face, for no one eould observe that ‘he, in the very slightest degree, showed that he was interested in the deadly preparations of the seconds. With a cigar between his lips, and a gold- oe ratan ro his hand, — yom gb a ree, apparently enjoying the early morning ne, aa listening tranquilly to the singing birds. He was dressed in a suit of dark gray flannel, and wore a soft hat of the same hue as his clothes, while his Sg ony Aw yy Coe rubies of immense size, and a ruby pin, a perfect gem, was in his immaculate shirt-front. As he twisted his ratan in his hands, it was observed that it was not the same he had car- ried the day before, as in the gold top was a ser not a diamond. ‘‘The Senor Montezuma will be au fait in all things, I see; he wears rubies on this red occa- sion,” laughed Brainard Abercrombie, who was among the spectators. “*T believe both Alden and Bethune are doom- ed; the very ease of that man makes me feel so,” said Louis Chandeleur, who had driven out in his carriage, accompanied by a friend. As for the two men who were to meet Monte- zuma, they were both deadly pale. They had both been on that field before, and they had both left there a dead foe; but now they were to meet a man whom they felt to be their equal, if not their superior. Knowing how splendidly Lucien Bethune han- dled a sword, Otis Alden felt more at ease, as he hoped that Montezuma would meet his match ore he had to meet him, and the doctor would have felt much better had his friend been first on the list to face the Mexican. Of him as a shot or swordsman they knew pei but his utter sang froid made them dread the worst, while that elegant dueling- case looked ominous indeed; hence they felt ill at ease, and found it difficult to hide their feel- ings beneath a mask of indifference. _At the ‘same time that Andrea Angelos ap- ee Montezuma, Don Felipe stepped up to ucien Bethune. ‘* We are ready,” was all that they said. Montezuma bowed, threw aside his cigar, and drew off his coat—the act displaying his fault- less, muscular form, broad shoulders and small waist—and handed it, with his ratan, kid gloves and hat, to Valik. Lucien Bethune forced a laugh, threw aside his coat and hat, and received the rapier from the hands ‘of Don Felipe, with a low word of caution. Then the two men faced each other and their rapiers rung together. oth, at a glance, every one saw were superb swordsmen; but it was with dread that Captain paresis ‘nos amie Angelos watched the combat: Montezuma slor ve und from pee attack ! 7a. x is spirits rising with the belief that he held the vantage in swordsmanship, Lucien Bethune put forth all his a energy and skill, and won applause from his friends, as step by step he forced back the mighty Montezuma. Step by step had Montezuma gone back, un- til wholly free from the crowd, and then from his smiling lips came several words to his an- Fy or efact ical, and fo * The was magical, and for an instant Lucien Bethune seemed to be untierved, and Montezuma lost a chance to run him throngh; but, recovering nerve, as he felt himself able to deal wg i — ; “es Pr Sig more energy than he ha ore displayed, he began to cree forward, forcing Mi daiteoutia to Act wholly on the defensive. oe | Turning in his backward step, Montezuma moved back into the prescribed limits, and seemed now almost at the mercy of his ) nist, for his face was now calm, and his every effort seemed to be devoted to saving his life, while remarks of his inferior swo anship reached his ears. an But, suddenly there came a change; that sweet, feacinasag smile rested upon the marble face, displaying the white, even teeth beneath the dark mustache, and Lucien Bethune found himself confronting ‘a tireless giant, and one vho wielded a sword as he did not believe mor- tal’'man could wield it. | , In vain was it that he exerted all his strength and skill, using every device in the art of fence known to him—his teacher was before him! ‘‘ What fools we all have been! He has been playing with Bethune as acat with a mouse,” cried Wilber Sehastian, and there seemed some in the knowledge. _ as Bad was Lucien feadl and several time: his lips moved, as though o speak; but the eyes ——_-— oe Montezuma, the Merciless. 19 ae ee ee of melted diamonds were upon him with a fascination that held him speechless, and strik- ing down the ere opposing him, Montezuma drove his own blade to the very hilt in the body of his foe. Wrenching it forth he let the limp form. fall to - ot and tossed the weapqn to Valik to w : Without a shadow on his face, and the smile still on his lips, he turned and walked away from the crowd, who flocked around the falley man. ‘“You have-killed him, senor,” said Captain Sebastian, approaching. “I meant to do so,” was the coe] rejoinder of the utterly unmoved man. It was now with a great dread at his heart that Otis Alden felt he must face this ‘‘ mag- nificent devil,” as he called bim. His hope that Lucien Bethune would kill him had faded away entirely, and he now dreaded death would be his ergs But, evil as ‘had n his life, he had nerve, and took his stand quietly, ten minutes after the fall of his friend. ‘Ten paces is the distance, Senor Monte- zuma,” said Andrea Angelos, aseanirce cis a “Tt is well, but five would have been ter; who has the word, Angelos?’ ‘“*T have, senor.” “Do me the favor, as soon as I speak to Alden, which I intend to do, to immediately give the word.” Andrea Angelos looked surprised, but replied: ‘“ A’ssuredly, senor; we are ready.” - The two principals now took their stand, and the breathless crowd stood some paces off await- ing another death scene to be enacted there. ta little distance off lay the dead body of Lucien Bethune, where both men could see it and be reminded of the uncertainty of life; and upon the hillside, a hundred paces away, sat the motionless form on horseback, her eyes riveted n the two men. | ithout a movement she had witnessed the sword combat—now she was gazing upon an encounter that must prove equally deadly. “Senor, would it not be well to button your coat Gyer that ruby and shirt-front? Otis Alden has a quick and deadly eye,” whispered Captain Grenville. | Montezuma, who had resumed his coat and hat and drawn on his immaculate kid gloves, made no reply; he merely smiled his thanks, ‘**Gentlemen, are you ready?” Andrea Angelos had been a soldicr, and he a good voice, that rung cistinct and clear. “Though an outre act, senores, I would like to speak one word to Monsieur Alden.” were surprised at the request; but as the principal did not refuse, the seconds granted permission. orepping quickly forward, Montezuma said half a dozen words to Otis Alden, who started with surprise. - Ere he could speak, Montezuma was again in a lace, and facing him, the same smile upon ips. But Otis Alden was deadly pale, and involun- tarily stepped back from those burning eyes, while, before the word, he fired. A cry burst from every lip, and all eyes turn- ed upon Montezuma. But he stood like a statue—calm, and unhurt. ‘** Back to the mark, sir, or 1 will shoot you down!” sternly cried Andrea Angelos, springin toward Otis Alden, from whose nerveless han the pisto droppers. Seeing his double danger Otis Alden again pica upon the line, and instantly Andrea A a cried: “Fire! One! tw—” The arm of Montezuma was quickly raised and as the pistol reached its level, there followe Otis Alden sprung into the air, and wasa corpse ere he touched the ground: the bullet had pierced his heart. Tossing the smoking pistol to Valik, Monte- zuma walked away and stepped into bis car- riage, just as the woman on horseback dashed away from the hill top. “Let us follow and see who she is,” cried several voices, but a word from Brainard Aber- crombie checked their curiosity upon the spot. ‘* She is doubtless a friend of the Senor Mente- zuma; take warning.” It was advice they at once followed; curiosity was one thing, tut being responsible to Monte- zuma for it was quite another. As Valik was collecting the weapons Rosal Abercrombie approached the carriage and con- gratulated Mcntezuma upon his safety, adding: “Tt was despicable in Alden to fire hefore the word; but I hcped, for the sake of | is young wife, you would spare bim, as he had missed you.” “‘T never spare a foe, Monsieur Abercrombie —I am merciless; and vou mistake~—he did not miss me,” and Montezuna coolly held u his arm, throug the fleshy part of which the bullet had passed. Instantly the cry arose tht Montezuma was wounded—bad been shot through the arm be, fore he had sent the bullet through the Otis Alden, and accordingly the mighty EMMICOOOKS (Eo) ee ee