Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-17

through his mind. He recalled every time
he had seen her, remembered Just how she
| was dressed, Just how she looked and every
motion made by her. But this cerebral re-
troversion had no effect whatever upon the
strength and supple adroitness with which
he met the furious fencing of Rochon. The
old man was still extremely active and his
ponderous frame had muscles and sinews
like steel. Possibly he was q trihe blown
with having ragged so much, but he handled
his eutlass with both steady power and
skill. 1t was we'll for Orton that
the rapier given him by Garcin
proved to be Of exquisite temper and
strength; for Rochon's blows would have
broken a less faithful blade From the
| start Orton felt that he had no light struggle
before him, for although in the beginning
Rochon sought to bear him down By sheer
weight and fury, there was that in the old
mans wrist movements which told of 9
swordsman perfect in his art The cutlass
was shorter than the rapier, but its supe-
rior weight, when welded by such muscles
as Rochon's, gave it dangerous advantage.
Cut, thrust, feint, parry, clash, clink, round
and round they fought in the fast increas-
ing glare of the confagration, their eyes
fixed in that steady, vigilant stare, one
waver from which meant death, and that
| intense, burning concentration Of look
which means absolute purpose to
slay even in deaths last grip. They
heard each others breathing keen and Quick
above the roar Of the fire and the still noisy,
though scattered spray, of the running
skirmishers. The moon was just beginning
to gleam above the woods to the eastward
through light fog blown in from the Gulf
Overhead flock Of bewildered water fowls
were wheeling about the sky and clamoring
in their far-reaehing metallic volces. A
man hsrd-pressed and painting heavily
broke through the frail paling of the gar
den, and snatching up short hoe Drained
his pursuer, who was coming through after
him. Orton, by an indirect sense Of vision,
was aware that the man who had thus saved
himself was Garcin, but he really did not
see him. On went the poor, worried feI-
low, passing out at the rear gate and at last
gaining the woods
Roehon quickly discovered that for once
in his life he had his match. The young
man gave not an inch to him, but after .
few moments began to press the fighting
with rapidly accelerated energy and bold
ness. Twice the doughty old man felt
mere touch of the keen rapier point, each
time right over his heart, but this did not
daunt him, it but made him the more COM
bative, courageous and dangerous. With
the quiekness of a swordsman whose prae-
t1ee had been lifelong he noted Orton's fav-
orite guard and foresaw the purpose Of his
play. "He thinks that I am old, - he said
to himself, 'and that shall be blown pretty
soon. He'll seeP' And now Rochon's
sword began to leap about In q way that
would have bewildered less ready fencer
than Orton, who instantly took the
defensive, parryiDg the rapid cuts
and thrusts and wsrily watching for
an unguarded point He leaped
about trying to force the old
man into as violent action as possibls, hop
ing thus to outwind him. But who could
outwind that grizzled, iron-framed giant?
The longer they fought the fresher and the
suppler he appeared. The flames were
breaking through the roof of the burning
house and streaming in faring hot tongues
out over the water They soon would en-
danger Roehon's hotilla If his men did not
return from their wild chase and move the
schooner and boats. Roehon thought Of
this, and suddenly, without in the least
checking his onslaught, thundered forth an
order that went bounding and booming of
through the night like the voice Of an old
alligator bull
"Man the boats Man the boats and