Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-04-20


The morrow would be the Sabbath and
though war is no respect II OF days, | would
not desecrate it by fighting cut a private
quarrel. Therefore / set my mind for the
meeting at sunrise on Monday, that / might
have the business off my hands and prepare
for what ! considered the greater adventure.
Now / had little doubt Of the result OF
this conflict. Unless Scammell was different
in sword play from those had met either
in sport or earnest, he would be disarmed
ere he had well begun 1t was thought a
trick which depended more on sheer
strength than great skill, for OF the latter
/ had little more than a fair ability to de-
fend myself without seeking 10 pass the
guard OF a practiced swordsman.
1t was simply that | would use a rapier Of
greater weight than my opponent (which
would be bat natural), and at the proper
time throw my guard wide open BY lowering
my hand. On the instant OF the onset which
would be sure to follow, | had but to step
back pace and bring up my weapon with all
strength and speed, the fairly sure result be-
ing that the sword Of my adversary would be
driven from his hand or the blade fly to
pieces hy the force Of the blow. Whether
this trick il allowable save under the rule
that All fair ID war" ! scarcely know, but
failure, even though my opponent knew my
intention
With the hint Of Seammell's light hand
which had been given me by Belden, | was
sufficiently without worry to take with full
zest the apparent good luck which had come
70 me, and, with no thought OF an untoward
slip in my fair prospects, / returned 70 the
Kings Arms, and there wrote note in
set terms inviting Scammell and his second
to meet me the day and hour on which had
determined
This being dispatched to his room to await
lis coming. | ate my evening meal, and then
sailed to the shipyard for my usual look at
the Phantom.
She still swung in the old spot, with an
easy grace and an apparent uniting of her
ft,retoot, an effect caused by the sheer of her
deck lines. My soul went out to her, for she
seemed to know me and strain at the cable
like a high-mettled steed that only needed
the word to take the bit and be off. Rusty
she was, and foul besides, but, rusty and foul,
size could DUPONT half his majesty's heavy
going cruisers, and | waved my hand at her
as / would have done to my lady had / one,
swearing to give the word ere that day fort
night
How little | knew we would both be well
tried by then.
| waved my hand 10 her and turned to go,
" hen my eye caught a huge coil of black
smoke rising from near the rivers edge far
down the city. That it was fire on shore
| made out at a glance nor did give it more
than passing notice until, on entering the
streets again, ! became aware of the con
course pouring in that direction. Soldiers
by companies, disarmed and bearing buckets,
we're hurrying toward the conhagration, but
not until reaching the Kings Arms and as
canding to the fine cupola that surmounted
it did | know that the fire was Of vast ex-
tent. And even as | looked it spread from
house to house, threatening to assume the
proportions of the great scourge OF two years
before.
Now with interest well sharpened made
haste to get to the scene of the burning and
be of use-a thing not so easy to do, owing
&c the press OF a mass OF people who stood
ebout useless and curious, watching the play
of the great sheets of flame, and giving ex-
6rcise to their voices when their hands might
have been of better service.
soon saw, however, that there was no
crganized effort TO suppress the flames. and
without order my arm was no better than
the weakest But of this second mighty fire
IL New York. in which upward Of three
hundred buildings were destroyed. have lit
tie to do. Looking back from these later
days Cor | am an OLD man now, it seems as
though the smoke had beckoned me to its
source that might take ny next step in the
quickeniug drama OF my lie, the plot of
which was to lead me through travail and
bloodshed, tina. in the end / might be fitted
10 enjoy the great happiness it has been the
VIII o. God TO vouchsafe me.