The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-12-13

tried to break my sword"
"Then try il again" Damonoff
returned. Take my sword again if
you can"
"Perhaps not" our hero retorted.
"But be sure your sword shall be
used no more after this day"
"Ha! Rrag not, but strike. If
you cam
The conclusion of the sentence
was drowned by 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 Damonoff's blade close to the
haft and broke it in twain.
'My other sword, my other
sword" the count shouted, now
blinded by absolute madness. "Oh,
give me my other
"Holdl" cried both the surgeon
and Stephen Urzen in concert. "You
are mad, Conrad
"Mad? Oh, | shall be mad!
Where is my sword?" the reckless
man yelled, casting the bladeless
pommel down.
"But will you not listen one"-
"Away, say! 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 hundredth part of the
blow 'twould not be upon thy Shout
ders now!"
But the count was Deyond all rea-
son. In his madness he saw not that
his sword had been broken on pur-
pose. He did not see that he had
been at his antagonists mercy. But
his friends saw it all.
cha! Whom have we here ?" cried
Alaric, whose eye had caught dark
form at the entrance of the old
building.
1t was Vladimir, the monk.
GLOW now? What seek We here?"
asked Urzen as the fat, burly monk
waddled toward the party.
II heard the clash of arms, my
son, as l rode by, and l stopped to
see what it was. Surely where the
work of death is going on a child of
the holy church of God may come"
"Aye," cried the count. Come in
and welcome, but NEEDLE not. Now,
my sword, where is t?"
Reluctantly Urzen brought for
ward the second sword, but ere he
gave it up he said:
Beware, Conrad. You had bet
ter
''Peace, babblerw the excited fool
Kissed, snatching the weapon and
then turning quickly upon the gun
maker.
Thus far Ruric had remained 81
lent, but he felt it his duty to speak
now.
"Sir count" he said in a tone SO
stern and authoritative and with a
look so commanding that the other
was held in allegiance by it, 81 must
speak one word. You have provok-
ed a quarrel with me, and you have
challenged me. | have no fear of
death when duty calls for my life,
but | would not die thus, nor would
| Stay a fellow being thus. Six sep
arate times today since our swords
first crossed have | spared your
life
"Liarw
-"and twice have | had you be-
fore me unarmed," Ruric continued
without noticing the interruption
81 had hoped this would have shown
you that | sought not harm to you
and, furthermore, that you were nc
match for me at this kind of work"
"Out, foolP' yelled Damonoff, now
fairly frothing with rage. eff you
dare not cross swords again, say SO
but do not crawl off like a coward !"
Gone word MORE" uttered Ruric
paling for an instant beneath the
unmerciful insult of the senseless
tongue that assailed him, and he
stood proudly erect while he spoke
''before these men here assembled
and before God | swear that thus
far l have spared YOU, but my owl
life may be the forfeit if ! trife with
you more. So now beware. Yor
have sufficient warning"
Perhaps the count really over
looked the facts of which Ruric haC
spoken. In his ungovernable rage
| he may have fancied that twas only
accident that had worked agains
him. However, he started forward
once more and made furious lungt
at his antagonist.
'Now," he gasped, "play you,
best, for my swords my OWL"
But Ruric spoke not. He saw tina
the count was stronger than befor,