CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1901-08-22
NYou fence we'll" he gasped,

on are not novice, returned
Ruric calmly, at the same time al
lowing his point to drop.
"Come on" the count uttered,
now gathering all his energies for
another effort.
And again the weapons were
crossed. This time Damonoff was
more guarded. Before he had been
impelled bv his own assurance, but
now he was forced to regard his op-
ponent's power. Ruric quickly
found that the other was more care
full than at first, and he carried his
own point accordingly. AT the
twelfth stroke the count made
feint to the left, then at the throat,
and then, with quick. lightning
like motion. he brought his point to
his antagonists heart But his
meaning had been read from the
first by Ruric. The youth caught
the motion of the eve, and he saw
that his heart was the place looked
to. His own movement was almost
instructive. He received his antag-
onist's sword midway upon his own
blade, then moved his arm quickly
forward and caught the point under
his cross guard; then, with all his
power, he wrcnchcd his arm upward
and backward. and the counts
sword went flying across the build
ing. 1t struck the opposite wall
with a dull clang, and the next in
slant it was half buried in the snow.
"Fear not, SIR" said Ruric as the
count started back. with both hands
raised. 81 never strike an unarmed
man"
Damonoff's arms fell to his side,
and a deep blush of shame mantled
his face.
"By St. Paul." cried the surgeon,
"your life is forfeited. sir count,
and now You should be satisfied"
mo, no." the discounted man ex-
claimed, starting up with rage and
modification. "That was but slip
Twas false step, a cowardly feint-
am not overcome"
"But, man of mortality, even now
your life is Nevel's. He may run
you through now if he chooses"
"But he has not" the count cried.
springing to where his sword had
fallen and snatching il up.
"Sir count" here spoke Ruric
calmly, but with marked contempt,
@you should not blame me for what
I have done. for thrice have you
tried to break my sword"
"'Then try it again." Damonoff
returned. Take my sword again if
YOU can"
Perhaps not" our hero retorted.
''Bui be sure your sword shall be
used no more after this day."
"Hal Rrag not. but strike If
you can
The conclusion of the sentence
was drowned bv the clash of steel.
At the second stroke the count
made another furious thrust at his
antagonists heart. Ruric sprang
quickly aside. and with the whole
power of his good right arm he
struck DamonoiT's blade close to the
hafi and broke it in twain.
MY other sword, my other
sword" the count shouted. now
blinded by absolute madness. "0h.
give me my other
"Holdw cried both the surgeon
and Stephen Urzen in concert. "Tou
are med. Conrad
"Mad? Oh. shall be mad.
Where is my sword 2" the reckless
man yelled. casting the bladeless
pommel down.
"But will you not listen one
Away, | sayl Shall give up be-
cause my sword is broken? BY the
gods. the weapon deceived me.
Where is the other:"
Deceived thee. Conrad ?" repeat
ed the surgeon sarcastically. by
the Holy Ghost, had thy head but
received handred,h part of the
blow 'twould not be upon thy shoul-
tiers now :"
But the count was beyond all rea-
son In his madness he saw not that
his sword had been broken on pur.
pose He did not see tim, he had
been at his antagonists mercy. Bnt
his friends saw il all
"Hal Whom have we here ?" cried
Alaric, whose eve had caught a dark
form ut the entrance of the old
building.
Ii was Vladimir. the monk.
"Ilow now? What seek We here"
IL r 4.