The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-07-10


soon.
CHAPTER w.
When Hepworth Coleman suddenly
found himself prisoner in that close,
dark room he did not at first suspect any
treachery ON the part of Judge Favart de
: Caumartin. He expected that gentleman
L to return in the course of few minutes: :
but this favorable impression was soon
removed by certain startling events that
crowded one upon another
First a low, rumbling, changing sound,
like the beating of metallic gongs in the
distance, came through the walls and
filled the cell; then, as this died away to
utter silence, he heard tumultuous
whisperings all round, above, below. The
thousand voices all seemed to be saving
the same thing, which presently he made
out to be the words: "The Krewe is
coming; make ready for the Krewe!''
When the whispering ended little purple
lights began to flash here and there. but
so mysteriously did they twinkle that he
could not locate them, and these were
followed by phantom faces, wan, waxen,
family luminous, appearing and fading
instantly, succeeded by intense darkness.
Now, HepwoIth Coleman was man
of iron nerve,an athlete in body an spirit,
who, although full Of romantic and
lpoetic impulses, was at the base of his
character as brave and steadfast as
lion; still even the best courage has its
moment of faltering, and just at the
point when one wall of his cell was with
drawn, so that he stood in the full glare
of twenty brilliant chandeliers that
lighted a large, gorgeously-d
hall, he felt the blood grow stitlingly
heavy on his heart. Before him stood a
file of fantastic figures, men oddly clad
and strangely armed, who clashed their
brazen shields together and pointed their
swords at his breast. On the walls of
the spacious room hung weird-looking
trophies, skulls, pictures of dead men
CHASTITY and livid, pistols, swords, and
strange banners. The floor was carpeted
with heavy Persian tapestry, thickly
padded underneath.
Coleman stood gazing while the file of
armed men-perhaps platoon would be
more coTrect-went through some silent
but intricate evolutiOns after beating
their shields together and threatening
him with their swords. When the move
ments were ended one of the maskers
came up to him and struck him lightly
with the flat of his weapon across the
cheek, saying in loud whisper:
Beware! you are in imminent dan
ger"
-C016man-toolk him at his word and in
stantly let go a blow from the shoulder.
His close set fist met the masker's jaw
with sound of crushing pa2teboard, and
down went the man outstretcheI at full
length on the floor, his shield and sword
giving forth muffied clang as they
crossed upon the soft carpet.
i Quick as a cat Coleman leaped forward
and picked up the sword, beautiful ra-
pier, and, assuming defensive attitude,
cried out boldly:
"Come one at time and l will fight
you allr'
The fantastic figures looked at one an
other with evident questioning, though
not word was said.
Meantime the fallen one scrambled to
his feet and swore two or three bitter
French oaths. The leader rebuked him
with gestures.
"Come one at time, you cowardly
villains" repeated Coleman, land I'll
soon finish you all. Come on, the first
one, if you dare meet man ~
He was terribly angry, but his voice
was steady and even.
There was a space of silence, then the
leader said something to one of the men,
who Immediately cast aside his shield
and advanced with his rapier.
1t was a short conflict. Coleman dis
armed his antagonist with ease in less
than minute.
Another man came on and shared the
same fate, with the addition OF prick
through the wrist of the sword-arm.
This was exhilarating to Coleman in
his evaporation at being made the butt
of some mysterious trick.
Come next" he cried, 81 want the
best of you-and the best is coward.
Come onl"
Evidently the mystic band now felt
the gravity that the occasion was assum-
ing. The maskers looked TO their leader.
"Don't stand there afraid" sneered
Coleman; "come on and get your turn.
Who's next?''
One after another responded, only to
} fare badly. As yet, however, all had es-
capped without. deadly hurt when the
leader himself made ready for fight.
Those who hafcome to grief were, quiet
ly cared for by others, and all seemed to
treat the proceedings as by no means
startling or even unusual
When the leader threw aside his
shield and took off his tall plume-covered
hat, Coleman was able TO rec
ognize Judge Favart de Caumartin more
by his form and bearing than by any dis
closure of his features.
As the judge handled his rapier all the
company of maskers, even the sorely-
wounded ones, came forward to look on
with eager expectation. His was steel
that never yet had failed to find the vitals
of his opponent; but on the other hand
there stood Coleman, steadfast and alert,
the very picture of strength and will, the
embodiment of quickness and certainty,
his sword bearing at its point tiny red
clot of blood.
They looked with straining eyes and
did not feel sure Of the result even with
their captain as their champion.
Come on, sir, and take your punish
ment, you cowardly leader of towards !"
exclaimed Coleman in a most exasperat-
ing tone. Don't stand there dreading
ii; pluck up little nerve and come onl"
1t is useless to say that Judge Favart
de CaumaTtin needed no bullying Of this
sort to urge him into combat. With
beautiful swiftness and grace he sprang
forward and at once took the offensive.
Then followed sword-play that was
amazing TO look at. Each combatant
showed that mastery of the fencing art
which makes the weapon appear to be
part of the man. So swiftly leaped the
shining shafts of steel that the eye saw
only fine symmetrical figures SHIN
mering between the fighters, while
spangles of fire leaped from the cross
ing edges. Coleman felt at once that he
had met his match; the judge tingled
with the discovery that here at last was
master.
From the first it was a fight to the
death If possible. Neither could hope to
disarm the other, nor was there proba-
bility Of any mere disablement ending
the contest The watchers looked on in
breathless suspense and heard with in
tensely straining ears the almost magi-
cally rapid clinldng OF the blades.
: Coleman fought as il with the energy
Iof all the accumulated romance of lis
recent experiences, half-recognizing, as
! he parried and thrust and feinted and
recovered guard, the vivid picturesque
ness, the melodramatic unreality, and
J yet the deadly intensity of the situation.
He did not know where he was
or why he had been brought
! there; the whole affair had mystery
J enough in it 10 have destroyed the will
power OF any weaker man; but to him,
while the strangeness affected his i'm
aginati0n, there was nothing In the mat
ter 10 make him falter OF 70 weaken the
force Of his arm. A fine glow Of enthu-
! siasm flashed indeed into his blood, and
with it an access Of cunning, grace, and