Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-06-04

liz Wdo Hlllhcll~a rlcn orphan, living
upon an almost unlimited income, and
had long been Il confirmed habitue of
the fencing halls Having seen some
rapiers and foils in Hardings rooms,
he was saying:
but you must be interested in sword
play-in fencing. 1t is the noblest of
all the exercises for gentlemen, and
your physique is precisely made up for
1T. You must be a master, or you could
be-
II have had good mastcrs,' Harding
replied i'll an evasive tone, "but l am
losing interest in it.. d"
"Your masters We're in New York?'
"No; Paris l had M. Duval for
three years.
an. Duval! You had M. Charles
Duval for three years."
eyes"
"Ah, what fortune! He, and he only,
teaches the stroke Of ruin, the pass
which pierccs across from shoulder to
shoulder, disabling the victim for life,
yet never killing him!' Rapin spoke
enthusiastically and after moments
pause added almost breathlessly:
"And you learned his stroke! Oh, but
am overjoyed, and you will teach me
to do it? All, monsieur, shall be your
lifelong debtor. 1 have dreamed of that
incompatible thrust. l have made two
journeys to Paris to learn it; but, you
must know, M. Duval is an ancient
enemy of my father. l could not 90
to him and his pupils are so few and
so-so-so distinguished and exclusive
that l could not reach one of Them"
Harding laughed at the youth S frank
ness and told him pleasantly that he
should be glad to give him the secret
instruction. Thereupon Rapin almost
Rugged him, and they were just enter
ing the opera house.
A great curve of splcndor flash of
faces, throats, bosoms, jewels laces
eyes, fans-a bewildering horizon of
corsages, coitfures, necklaces, bracelets
rings; foam of airy gowns sinking
and swelling gently, like surf froth
against beach of fairyland. Harding
gazed in half blinded stupidity, so he
felt and could see no details, could make
out no individual face distinctly. 1t all
struck him as some vast spectacle OF
barbarous gewgaw splcndor, and yet
nothing that he had over seen could
compare with it in unity of effect. Tho
boxes were all full and of beauty and
queenly costume, So accentuated that
nowhere else could such insistenccs up
on decoration have been tolerable.
There, however, it was the perfection
of color, grace, brillianco and condensed,
passionate beauty of expression such as
the Greeks of Alexandria dreamed OF i'll
their luxurious exhibitions.
Harding and Rapin were the only
persons in their box, which was we'll to
stage Il celebrated ballot favo'itc was
kicking featly through one Of her capti-
vat1ng passages
"Wo will begin the lessons tomor-
row." murmured Rapin. Il shall be
an apt scholar monsieur.
eyes " said Harding abscntly. He
was gazing along the great sweep OF
beauty and light.
"But excuse me moment or TWO,
the creole added after awhile when the
curtain was down. 81 am going to call
at the box Of friend"
He went, and Harding continued his
survey, which, now that his eyes had
somewhat accustomed themselves to the
glamour. recame more real and absorb
ingly interesting.
Presently he saw Rapin i'll Il box, u
magnificent one, near tho center, talk
ing with IL tall young wonlan-and 1t
was she. There could be no doubt for IL
moment. The thrill through Harding S
heart told us much as the girl S rcsplcn-
dent vet in way subducd beauty.
Harding $ eyes were fixed. The trance
of that old time love which men used
to acknowledge was upon him. His
strong healthy, boyish nature plunged
into the thick of a passionate romance
as fervid as it was pure and sincere.
And at the very central moment she
turned from Rapin and looked straight
at him. Moreover he could see light
of quick interest come into her face.
They were speaking of him.
Tho prosy fact was that Rapln' III
his enthusiastic way, had been telling
Mile Marie dc Montmartin-tha was
her name-about his good fortune Ill
finding a master to teach him the "stroke
of ruin, land he had directed her attel-
ton to tho young man i'll his box But
for Mile. Marie de Montnartin, we may
as we'll say that she glanced mechanic
ally; then looked again. Harding was
a superbly handsome young athlete
flower of perfect manhood with Il taco
never to be forgotten by any woman.
Rapin presently returned to the box,
bringing with him, or at least Harding
fancied it, a breath of that exquisite
violet perfume which had been haunt
ing Harding's memory for days and
nights together. A.,
"Who is she-the young lady in the
box where you've been:'
The abrupt inquiry and a certain
timbre of Harding's voice betrayed his
emotion to the quick creole.
"Oh. she-that is Mile. Marie &c
Montmartin. Lovely, isn't she? YOU
might envy me, M. Harding She IS my
betrothed. y
"Ah. - Harding hcsitatcd and {
palish change passed over his face ike
fleece cloud over some glorlficd space
Of skv. Then he coolly added: ~ do envy
von Yes. she is the most beautiful girl
that have ever seen. She Is the one
met in the old bookstore door. You are
quick to find. -
Rapin colorcd.