The Faulkland quiz., 1892-06-25

lOI
His majesty seemed in bad humor
He cast his eyes over the group o
men nearest to him and said, with
Spanish accent:
Friends, my assistant has, as yol
say, struck. l cannot perform tn,
most Interesting of the sword feat.
unless some one will volunteer to holc
the apples will give 500 to who
ever will do it,
t There was commotion around me,
e but SO thrilling had been the de.
3 scriptions of the danger attending
a the feat and such the reports of the
d dlabolical temper of the swordsman
o that no one responded. His glance
fastened on me. / suppose it would
a be said nowadays that he hypnotized
, me.
Why shouldn't lido it, l thought
5 | was on the point of taking my own
D life, and II Senior Espada should save
} me the trouble, 90 much the better.
| What matter to me IL the sword
| should go an eighth of an inch too
, farl
'1'm your man, pardn / cried
starting up
, ''Ah, very goodl" he exclaimed with
bow of thanks and an insinuating
smile
Il will call you up when 1 come
out"
The show began. 1t was a sort of
country circus, dime museum and
Buffalo Bill performance on small
scale.
/ WAITED the advent of the swords
manwith the utmost irl perturbability
At last he appeared All summoned
me-
| advanced and nonchalantly faced
the spectators He glanced at me
approvingly and a little curiously as
he told me to extend my right arm
and open my hand.
did So He set the apple upon it.
His sword was beautiful weapon,
with jeweled hilt and glittering
blade inscribed with Arabic-charac-
ters He made few rapid passes
with 1t. Twas as If forked lightning
played about me. Involuntarily |
shiyered, but l persuaded myself that
the shudder was caused by the chilli
ness of the air. since did not care
what the result of the adventure
might he.
Then the lightning seemed to smite
me. My arm fell to my side, dark
ness came before my eyes, but, by the
applause, l knew the apple had been
cut in twain.
The senior beamed upon me.
"Bravom he whispered.
''Now kneel"
did so, and bent my head.
He put another apple on the nape !
of my neck
My situation was terribly perilous,
for If his hand should slip or tremble
In the least degree, or il l should
shrink or stir I could hardly escape
1ecapltation.
At that moment my insane despair
left me. l saw how precious life is.
l became possessed with a fierce de-
sire to live; to live even If abandoned
by all the world, if bereft of every
thing busr -+yic-sc5t- -ovr4ssstz stsr tst,l
the sweet air of Heaven. A fearful
conviction forced itself upon ms that
the swordsman's daring experiment.
would prove my death. Only the
dread of being branded coward pre-
vented me from crying out from
springing up and declaring he should
not proceed. The effort to remain
motionless was frightful strain
upon my nerves Never shall / for
get the ordeal.
A few seconds passed. They seemed
an eternity to me. Then, l felt a
thin, cold line touch my neck-there
was tumult Of cheers.
The swordsman put his hand upon
my shoulder and bade me rise l did
so mechanically. could hardly see,
bnt 1 was dimly conscious that a
crowd Of excited people were calling
and stamping and waving bandana :
handkerchiefs. Half-dazed followed
the senior behind the curtain. My
neck was wet. put up my hand ex- :
pecting to find blood. I was sure it ,
must be cut, SO plainly had felt the !
keen blade. ]
No, the moisture was but the !
clammy sweat caused by the mental /
anguish through which had passed |,
A cracked mirror in the dressing /
room assured me there was not even !
a scratch. An attendant poured +
from flask and handed it :
to me Ia small glass. =
drank 1t down. 1t was strange .
liquor, but it revived the palsied I
pulses of my heart. The senior put =
800 gold piece into my hand. My I'M a
pulse was to toss it back to him. I =
had not thought of the paltry bribe I
when l agreed to help him, and l
would not go through the experience
igain for a thousand such. On
second thought, however, pocketed
.he coin. 9
l got back to the tavern. Having W
'eached my room, fell on my knees, sc
IS had been won't to do in child 81
hood and early youth. "My God,n 1
,red, show wicked have been to al
,hink Of lightly casting away the I'll
boon of existence which ii
Thou dost grant mer'
l prayed as had not prayed in cf
ears. HI
Then flung myself upon the bed tr
nd sank into a deep sleep. The OF
raught which the senior had ordered or
1r me must have contained a sedative,
)r l did not awake till late in the st
lorning. In
sprang up with a new energy. su
lad | not youth and strength ard wi
he world before me? All day l ia
rove to devise plan for going on w;
} the mines. The landlord was OBJ ia
'quious again. / had the where VIZ
18th to pay for my entertainment pr
nd the fame of nv exploit had made
hero of me-
1t seemed the swordsman seldom
,tnally performed that last feat, ~ ~
nee only at rare intervals could be ne
und daredevil like myself willing u u
run the risk Of being beheaded. ~ ~
hesstory Of the insubordina.e assist ils M
1t was fiction. TX
The mornfno fnl1ouino tho+ ,,,t,;ah