Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-02-12

threw aside our hats, and there Ia tho
full moonlight l recognized him dis
tinctly as the man whom my uncle
had killed eleven years ago grown
not day older but youthful and
virile. and yet unearthly OF aspect
but apparently ponderable. For a
moment | was helpless with dismay.
and my sword-arm hung limp. He
went upon guard. and waited for me
| to do the same. | delayed-l think it
was fear that took the nerve from my
arm.
Guard" he cried. impatiently, "or
| I'll kill your With that he made a
straight and vicious thrust at my
breast A quick retreat saved me.
Realizing that my life was certainly in
the issue, my old cunning returned.
and. before he could recover to send
home another lunge. | was on my
guard and had his rapier aloft. With
that one touch. the devil awoke in mo
and the spirit OF desperate combat
worked in my veins. And what u
! splendid weapon | felt was in my
hand! Never had | handled steel so
1.-the and responsive. and never was
music sweeter than that heard when
/ our blades. flashing In the moonlight
| slipped upon each other and rang upon
/ the guards. We stood thus Ihollent;
/ then he made a furious onslaught,
doubtless intended TO turn my nerve;
but | was ready for him, and, after a
few passes. during which had been
solely upon the defensive. | discovered
that l had u serious advantage in skill.
In other words unless an accident
should happen. / held my mans life
on the point Of my rapier; but / did
not want TO kill him, nor even hurt
him; so l called for parley. and
begged him to stop the silly encounter.
He shook his head. and a malignant
light shone in his eyes
But | am the more expert; | can
kill YOU" | protested.
Guard, -you!' he cried, as his
weapon came up.
| was ready for him;and seeing that
he was determined to have my life if
he could. went i'll to wing him He
was furious and | was cool. Ho gave
me an opening, ard | ran my rapier
through his neck but imagine my dis
may when felt no resistance at all
and had drawn out blade as bright
as ever. What could think? lie paid
no attention, and yet | knew that
could not have been mistaken. But
though much confused. | determined
20. Ia. - II
had hot and close fighting. Soon |
had another opening, and ran him
clear through the body.
Again | felt no resistance; again |
drew out an unstained blade. What
would any one have felt in so extraor-
binary a situation? | gasped and
staggered back. dismayed and terrified.
He came upon me furiously; the next
moment | felt his rapier in my side.
A blindness and a sickness assailed
me. The moon swung across the sky
and turned black, and darkness and
o5literation overcame all my faculties.
When next | knew anything. / was
lying IN the shade OF a tree at midday.
The weather was far too hot for
spring. The place was strange to me.
| remembered the duel. and put nv
hand to my side. There was neither
pain nor soreness. Then / discovered
that there was no puncture in my
shirt, and. what puzzled me more. /
saw that the clothes which | wore
were entirely unfamiliar to me- | got
TO my feet feeling weak; but went
along road. which was near. until /
met n horseman. In reply TO my
questions. he made it clear that | was
at least two hundred miles distant
from the spot where the duel was
fought, and that two months had
passed since that strange event. Con-
fused and ashamed / went from the
road and examined my side. and there
/ found an ugly scar such only rs
rapler could have made and it was
still red from recent healing. This
scar is in my body now. Upon return
ing to my family (the college session
having closed long since), | was well
coined rs one returned from the grave.
for the whole country had been
searched for me. Afterward, / my
self made Il long and tedious search
for some clue to my whereabouts dur
ing those blank weeks, but nothing
whatever could | find and there was
compelled to let the matter rest. The
Argonaut