The Story Of A Duel

THe Yosemite Falls of California, are no doubt the highest in America. The wii Ut imiki'8 thre# distiuct leaps from the gumniit of the ledge before reaching tho bedot' the stream belqw. . Npt far ironi the head of these falle, and nearly concealed from the view of any passer by, on account of the thick trees which gruw arüund it, stood a cabiu of log at the time of which we write, ten. yeais sincé. It was early one cold wintei's morning that the master of this cabiu, in coinpany with bis dog wre returning froin a hunt. ïhey had been absent dnring the entire night, aud now, just as dayligh y$ duwning, they were approaching a home where they feit sure cf a hearly welcome. The man, as he broke through the thicket in view of his cabin, pnused, and gazed attentivuly upon it for moment. Then lie threw the buck nrhich hé carried upon his shou'.der upon the snow, and' shaking his head he muttered : " I dou't know that anything is wrong here, but I don't feel right." At the same time the dog ran townrds tho dweljing, and rettiriiiug to liis maeter, uttered a growl. The man appeared very uneasy, but he hastened forward toward to the cabin door. Before ho had reached it a woman appeared. It was plain to Jeè that she had been weeping, and he was greatly agitated. " My God, Nancy ! what h.18 happened 'f he inquired, ahnost broathless. " Be calm - Mark, pray be calni !" was tho trembhng response. "But teil me what has happened ?" The question was scarcely asked before a second face appeared at the cabinet door. The instant Mark saw this, he staggered back and gasped : " The dead returned to life !" "Ah, Mark Webb the dead bas returned to life. But cöme in ; I wish to talk with you." Webb finding that ho had merely flesh and bloocí io deal with, entered the cabin, and throwing himself upon a seat. eyed the intruder for some moments without speaking. Then he asked, " Philip Dark, how did you find me out, aud what do you waut here (" " I hare been searching for you. Mark Webb, for live years. You thought me dead. But you see that you are mistakeh. Atid do you ask why I sought you V" " Yes, I did ask it." " It was to learn if tho woman who calis you husband suetains you in your villainies, and if he did not, or was ignorant of them, to let her kuow tho tiuth. I-" " Be careful what you say, Philip Dark," ezclaiaied Mark, half raising his rifle. The other observed th'g, and said, " Mark, 1 should be sorry to do you harin, but I know you. In your presence I shall relate all to Nancy - I will not cali her your wife, for she is equally mine, und she nhall docido between us." " She has already decided." " Yes, but your acts have rendered that decisión void : they have rendered a sec oud decisión necessary. Now, Mark, heed well what I say. As at first, 80 will I abide by Nancy's decisión now. But I must teil her all, nd if I see vou attempt to place your hand upon that riflü, in self-clcfcQ8e I'U seud a bullet through your head the instant jou do so." " Go on with your questions and your lies." " Nancy," sïrid Dark, fixiiif his eyes upon her, " what reasou did Maik give for bririgini you to this part of the country r" " Oh, Philip, you know that when I made my decisión ñve years ago, 1 told you that you possessed my love, but that Jilark' had tho claim of duty from me." '■ I remember well, and resigned you so that your duty might be performed " " You did " " Well, answer my quostion." " Mark told me that he wished to be fiir awav trom you, because you possesset my love. And so L ramo hore with him. ■ You thought mo still alive in St. Louis 't" I did." ' You nê'ier believed that Mark would hiirni uie r" " I certainly could not tbink so." " ïhen listen while I repeat all the past. Some portions you are familiar with, and souie you are not. Bat you shall have it all." "I listen." " Six years ago I formed your acquaintance, Nancy. I believed you to be a widow, and as such, loved, won and rnarried you. I had a right to belitre thot yon were a widow, for the proof oí your first husband's death appeared positive. But, in a few months after our Eóarriage, Mark Webb, your first husband returned. There must now be a decisión made. You bolieved that your duty bound you to Mark ; f?r tbe absence did not arise Iroin liis om fauTt. Jhit you confessed, that I held your love. I thought as you" did, that your firsi riárriá'ge was tho binding one, and at once I conseuted to forero all 'cluims upon you. More than tKÍs, I roüolvud to leavo the couutry, in order that my presenoe rnight not cauêe you unliappiuess. Could I do inore thiin this Y' , " You acted generously." , _ "But how did Mark act 'f. I.will teil you. He hated me becaue you loved ne ; and ov-e nieht we met in a lonely place, and, ashe thougkt.hedrove a dagger through ray heart." " Oh, Huaven '" " Pelie'.'ÍKg' tlsiit he hnií murdored me, he lef't the country tor fear of detectioii. Tnat is tho reaaon he brought you herc." " Oh this i terrible." .,. , For a loDg time aitsr the wounii, I lingcred on the Terge of the grave. But I rècovered at last, and then sai about looking fqr yóu. I have found ypu." " And now that you have found her, what do you intend doing P said Mark, in a surly inanner. "t'wul teü yOu. Xancy becnroe tñy wife, and I loved her. But I would not see her dishonored. I resigned her beeause I thought you would be a geiierous and true husband to her. But you becaine at once a murderer and deceiver. ■So I cnine to aak my wife - for I ara the true husband -if she will go with me." " Welli ask her." " She hears my quostion. Will you answer it, Nancy Y" " Mark," said the woman, turning her pale face towards him, "speak aiid deuy thi terrible acousation," 11 1 wou't do it." " Can you do it ?" " Of course, if I could I would." " But has Philip spoken truly '" , " Kvery word of truth." " Oh, Mark, is it possible?" " It Í9 true, I teil you. Do you think I'll lot a second husbtuid of yours live in the same world with me f And that especially after you have declared that you love hiiu 't No ; you must think that I am a fooi." "But hedoes live." "I knowit: but he and myself can't live long." "You surely would not a second time, try to take his life 't" " I teil you he and I can't both live. Of course you would decide for him. " I shall never, knowingly, be the willing wife of one who has murder in his ïeart." " I thought so. Now, Philip Dark, ïow do you propose to dia f " Whüt do you mean f asked Dark. " I mean that we must fijrht. Oh, I won't stab you in tho dark. But we must ght in guch a manner that it will be ertain dtath to one ot us and most likdy o both. Will you fight as 1 propose, )rovided the chances are equal !" " No ; I won't fight yiu at all." " Are you a coward " "No!" " Then why will you not fight Y" " Because Naucy needs the protection f some better niau thuti a niurderer. A uüI is a game of chimce, and I might bo ,he loser. In that event, she would still e left to you." "She will have nothing to iel with me nyway. Is not that the case Nancy ?" " It is." " And you will be bis wife ?" " If he claims me as such." ' And you, Philip Í)ark, will not fight me 't" "Not so long as another claims my protection." Iil án instant after, a rifle shot echoed hrough a room, and, throwing up her ïanda with a shriek, Nancy feil upon the oor, bleeding and struggling in the last ;asp of death. Dark was so horror trioken by the dreadful act, that, for an nstaut, ho stood speechless. Then he )ent oter the dying woman, novor for a moment thinking of his own safety. He losed hor eyes and pressed his lips to her row - ho listened to the last faintly rawu breath, and then, for the first time hought of himself. ïurning, he saw Hurk standing near, gloating like a fiend upon hinl. Observing that the villiau did not even retain his rifie in his grasp, he asked : " Why did you not kill me, Mark Webb r " Are you anxious to die ?" was the sneering response. "I caro not to live after having wit nessed such a deed." "Then I will give you a chance for death." " What do you mean?" "You died in effect five years ago. You shall die again to-day. ' "How do you propose to kill mo Y" "I propose to fight now that she no longer Hves ta claim your protection. Will you fight me r "Yes." " Enough ; you have a knife - that is all you want, I havo the same. Come, follow me." " Where do you go ?" " To the head of the falls. Do you fear to follow me ?" " I do not. Load on." Mark took a coil of ropp, probably a 100 feet in length, off a peg, and bore it with Mm. Eeaching the ledge llanking the falls, he affixed ono end of the rope around the root of a tree. This done he started down the cliff. " Whero are you going ?" asked Philip, who had beeinvatching him. "To the opposite ledgo, aeross the falls. You see in order to reuch it, that I must o to the base of tho cataract, cross the itreain, and then ascend the other side. "What is your puipose Y' " My purpose will soon develop itself." It was not long böfore the vülain was standing upou the opposite ledgo. The yawning gulf of two thousand ieet was between hiruself and foe, and the waters lashed tho ragged rocks as it thundered over thein. "That rope is nlready coilfid," Baid Mark. Throw mo the other end." This done, and the line was fust upon the. oppopite side. A single cord now bridged that dreadful chasm. " Meet me in the center of the rcpe bridtre," said Mark. " We will Cght only with knivas " As be said this he began to advance. Philip Dark did tho ame, and both men crept oarefully toward eaoh other, and the rope bonding fearfully beneath thtir heavy wéight. They were within ten feet of each other. when the courage of Mark began to fail him, and he regretted the siep h had taken. "Why did ho not kill lm enemv at once and without inuurring auy danger hiraself 't But was it too late now ? No. He gaied into the eyes of Dar. He 8aw determiuation and absence of fear there, s he canje slowly forward. He hesitjtted no longer, but drew a pistol froiu bis breast and fired. Dark placed his hand upon his side with a groan, while the blood run betweefit his fingers. Dark wavêd -to and fro and appeured ready to fall. Mark considered his triumph gure. But at tbat instant Dark raised bis knife, and strack a desperate blow. The frail rope which sustained both men was severed in a twinkling ; and down went their bodis, whirling throügh that fearfil space, while the wail ot' the murderer ros-; on' tï air, iningling with tlia ruar of the waters. The poor dog who feit not the hate which fiüed the breast of his luastcr wan the only mourner, and mosttrnly did he mourn, and that withoui any coiuforter, 8VÜ ÍÍII10. A Vermont veteran comes rosrching along. Hia narae is Solomon Montague, and he is (íeaéon of trie chivrch in Cara bridge. He is eighty-eight yoars oíd, and recently walked nearíy ten miles to tako charge oi' tbe crcction of a building, setting out the frame hhnself. It is his boast that he has drank no liqnor fur half a century, that he never has had the doutor bijt pnce, nevei'hadthe heiidache, and Bevel was a candididate or otfioei A Missouri paper reports the discovery of something huge in the way of petrifaction, the sip'e being an enormpus rep;tile whieh séVeralmen areendeavoring to dig out of a bank in that State. At latest dates they had worked in,to the bank twenty six feet, and had not resched the sfaouldors,