Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1892-06-30

F*@~t<&*&Fe*H = - - ***A@&zt~<@ - -
nnd mnttered some coarse jest
about awhipping the child back 10
its mother !" bnt the young man
took no heed Of him.
Then up rose fine-looking old
man in richly embroidered suit Of
crimson velvet, the Marquis d Sea-
IL, Who. Is warden OF the market
place, had charge Of the days pro-
seedlings. He announced that this
young man staked one thousand
iive hundred pistoles NEARLY one
thousand three hundred poundsl
against one thousand wagered By
.Dacopo. adding that, as there was
no personal enmity between the two
combatants, the first wound re-
cciyed by either might fairly end
the fight.
But here the young stranger in
terposed: ssLet me entreat your
Worship" said he with stern en-
phasis, "not to defeat the sole pur-
pose which could have made me
stoop to encounter yon cut-throat.
1t il full time that his mnrderous
hand were stayed from shedding
moro blood and, with the help Of
Heaven, mine shall be the arm to
stay it. Ere | leave this spot, he
or / shall lie dead. |"
In the dead hush Of universal
amazement those clear, stern, mem
acing tones rang out like the sum-
mons Of q destroying angel. The
spectators stood aghast, and looked
at each other in silence and even
the savage Belloni seemed cowed,
and the scornful smile faded from
his lips, and q faint uneasiness
made itself visible for the first time
through the staggering impudence
Of his look. These signs Of waver-
ing did not pass unnoticed by the
watching crowd, some of whom
tainted him with his changed look !;
on which, stung to the quick, the
bully fiercely shook of his momen-
tary hesitation, and advanced upon
his foe with uplifted sword. The
latter met him with equal readiness
and deep and solemn hush settled
down upon that great multitude as
the shining blades were seen to
cross.
Belloni pressed furiously forward,
his sword Pickering like lightning
as he dealt thrust after thrust, with
q quickness which no eye could
follow. He appeared bent upon
bearing down his young opponent
by sheer strength; but TO his own SUR
prise, and that of every one else,
he seemed to have met his match at
last. Lunge after lunge did he
make, with seemingly irresistible
force, and ain-and again did the
bystanders draw in their breath as
they watched to see the stranger
fall; but the thirsty point was al
ways turned aside just as it seemed
about to pierce him. Nor did he
once break ground, but kept circl-
ing round and round his foe, watch
ing for chance Of attacking in
turn.
That chance came at last. Jacopo,
spent with his own violent exertions,
could no longer maintain this ex-
hausting attack. His breath began
to fail and his hand to tremble.
Then the stranger came forward,
and attacked Belloni in his turn,
with a light Of a sudden and terri
BILE gladness upon his beautiful face,
which made the hardest spectator
sudder as they saw it.
Twice BelIoni dashed aside the
point inst as it reached him, but the
Sc ime an minous stoain Of
crimson on his white vest showed
that the parry had come all but too
late. They closed q third time
there was q quick trampling of
feet, a clash Of steel, a hoarse chok-
ing curse-and the destroyer Of SO
many lives lay dead at the strangers
feet, pierced through the heart.
The momentary pause Of silent
stupefaction was followed by long
continued thunders Of applause,
while the Marquis di Scala, SEEM
ingly much pleased, held ont to the
conqueror the heavy purse contain
ing the stakes; hut the latter, to
every ones surprise, waved it haugh-
lilly away.
Money that is stained with blood
shall never be touched by my
hands," he said, in a tone Of such
commanding dignity as to impress
nvnsa the ,nrnn6 old nnhla e -