The Van Buren press., 1895-06-01

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s'Isnt you must be intereste4 n
sword play-in fencing. II d the no.
blest Of all the exercises for gentlemen
and your physique Il precisely made up
for II You must be . master. OF you
could be-"
II have hsd good mssters, Harding
replied In an evasive tone. but am
losing interest In it."
"ycar masters were In New York;"
mo; Paris. had N. Duvai for
three years." ~a 80
M Duval! You had NJ Charles Du-
val for three years.
"Y<A" - ts' -
"Ah, what fortune. lie. and he only.
teaches the stroke Of ruin the pass
which pierces across from shoulder 20
shoulder. disabling the victim Tor life.
yet never killing him" kapin spoke
enthusiastically, and after moments
pause added almost breathlessly:
"And you learned his stroke! On.
but am overjoyed; and you will teach
me TO do IL? All. monsieur. shall be
your lifelong debtor. / have dreamed
Of that Incompatible thrust; have
made two Journeys to Paris 70 lesrn il;
but. you must know. VI. Duval is an
ancient enemy Of my fathers l could
not go 10 him, and his pupils are 50
few and 80. 50, 50 distinguished d and
exclusive that could not reach one Of
them
Harding laughed IT the youths
frankness and told him pleasantly that
he should be glad 70 give him the Sc
cret insruction. Tb<feupon Rapin al
most htgSsd him and they were just
entering the opera house
A.great curvesI splendor, fash OF
faces, throats, tosoms, jewels. laces.
eyes, fans--a bewildering horizon OF
corssges, coiffures, necklaces. brace
lets. rings; foam Of airy gowns sink
ing and swelling gently, like surf froth
against a beach OF fairyland. Harding
gazed in half-blinded stupidity, 80 he
felt, and could see no details, could
meAes out NJ. .ipdixidnal face dietinetlx.
1t all struck him as some vast spectacle
Of barbarous gew-gaw splendor. and
yet nothing that he had ever seen could
compare with it in unity Of effect The
boxes were allfnll, and fu1l Of beauty
and qncenly' costume. 50 accentuated
that nowhere else could such insist
ences upon decoration have been toler-
able. There, however, 1t was the per-
fection Of color, grace, brilliance and
condensed, passionate beauty OF ex-
preston such as the Greeks Of Alex
Gndria dreamed Of in their luxurious
exhibitions
z Harding and Rapin. were the only
persons in their box, which was well
to one side Of the great curve. On the
stage celebrated ballet favorite was
kicking featly through ono OF her cap
tivating passages.
1--WE will begin the lessons to-mor-
row." murmured Rapin; Il shall be an
apt scholar, monsieur.
"Yes," said Harding. absentiy. He
was gazing along the great sweep OF
beauty and light:
"But excuse me moment or two,
the Creole added after awhile when
tho curtain was down! II am gohdR to
cali 1t the box ,of a friend" -
He went, and Harding continued his
survey, which. now that his eyes had
somewhat accustomed themselves TO
l'the glamour, became more real and abb
sorbingly interesting, X IN IL -
Presently hs-.ss Rapin In a box, q
magnificent one, near the center, talk
ljp4 with, o tall syoupy woman-and 1t
sS& slc. ifhcSe cfAflaiBe no doubt for
amomept; the thrill through Harding's
hasn't toll IN nuchJ - Che girls re-
splendent, yet, in a way, subdued
beautNsgst.l .NsA
Harding's eyes were fixed; the trance
Of that old-timc love which men used
TO acknowledge waS upon him. His
strong. healthy, boyish nature plunged
into the thick Of passion-romance as
Etcivid as 4 wua pure aha sincere. And
at the very central moment she turned
from Rapfn and booked straight at him.
Moreovsrs.hsssould ses- . lightei- -q~iek
interest come into her face; they we're
speaking Of him. .NA&gRN . q
The prosY fact was that Rapip, in his
Iei!l Wy, Nd been telling
s8tboDH N0VoH 1N1OnvnnSSshs7Vnat NJ was
her name--about his good fortune In
1ndflgK.R naster to teach him the
''stroke OF ruin" and he had directed
hey Attep tioiF tH the young msn An his
boz Bdt for Mlieg Marie dc Montmar-
tin, we may as well say that she
Iglmeedg mechnn nicanyss then looked
Fagsin Harding was b superbly hand
some young athlete, flower of per-
feet manhood, with face never to be
forgotten by any woman.zHf
Rapin presently returned TO the box,
bringing with him, or at least Harding
fancied IL, q bresth or xquiaite
violet perfume which had been haunt
ms sHardips's nsmory tor days raRd
nights together.
s"who is she-the young lady y the
box where you've BEEN" 80 y
THE abrupt inquiry and afce1taip
tmbre OF Hardings voice betrayed Ids
emotion TO the quick Creole. W
"Oh, she-thsts Ia N ucM Mart De
Nontlnartin. Loseig, kr't bhe? You
hight envy me, M. Harding. she As
by bctrothed.' w -
G"AhT Hayding hcsitated Ard %
palish rhange passed ov@ bis 9ade,
IKE hecce-cioud over sonea aglofified
space OF sky. Then he coolly added:
y do envy'you. Yes she is the most
bcautiful girl that have ever seep.
She is the one met In the old book
storc door. You are quick to fnd."
Rapin colorsd. ia1WifC AA.iiiEt y
A"Thank you, be said, as the curtain
vent up and the priina donna strode
forth with q superb swing " ~ }
fThe next. day Rapin came TO Hard
in9's rooms for Ms initial lesson; bnt
A. ,,e,,rr a ikv,,n ~ thas.~aJ N ,,osA ~x,rA