Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-12-27
Theriot, Swordsman


boarders at Blake's and he took an In
slant fancy to young Theriot. Dillon
i'm his quiet, convincing way, had leo
us all to believe that he was an expert
~sWoTdsman, n 1t was quite natural,
when Gaston's baggage arrived, that a
fencing bout should be arranged. The
little Frenchman was quite willing,
glad to give the Irishman a choice or
w~eapons--foil, rapier or broadsword.
They gave us a fine display in the Ii
brary, and we all sat about
and drinking till near morning. The
Irishman ~astonished us all with his
sword play, but the little
proved to be a wizard with the nght-
er and Frenchike, able 10
carry on a running fire of quaint Jests,
bonmots and r~eCitative even while
busiest with his weapons. He made a
great hit with all of us that night,
but we could see that something OF the
soldier spirit, something Of the wider
citizenship Of Captain Dillon was max
ing for a close friendship with the new
man from Rheims.
And so 1t proved. Roderick and the
rest Of us, wantons that we were, be-
came interested in fencing, in French
literature, in gossip Of the new Be-
hemia Of Paris. We took some lessons
of TheriOt, began to read again Tele-
machus and the rudimentary literature
of France, but it was Dillon Che was 40
years old, at least), who became the
Fides Achates. the near friend" of
CASTOR Theriot. He was q charming
little fellow who scattered his money
like a prince, and drank wine like a
thirsty cuirassier. He never got used to
our whisky and pipes, preferring Gig
arets and frothy drinks, but we liked
him Just the same and boosted him
about town so that in six months he
had q big class of fencing students and
q list OF French pupils that assured
his prosperity.
Nobody ever knew just how that
GOODNESS sprang up between Dillon ana
the little Frenchman, but we all no
ticed it. The Irishman quit noticing
Theriot, and the spruce little fencer-
always the soul of courtesy-began to
betray signs Of the estrangement which
was apparent to us all. Then one
night-it was near New Year's-Dillon
suddenly announced at the supper
table that he was going to leave.
I'm going to try Oklahoma he said,
adding with his fork; Tn an adven-
turer, you know, and l am tired or
Kansas City"
We were all heartily sorry n showed
it-all but CASTOR. He only bit his lip
and stared into his coffee. Dillon left
I III IttAI uAg "A-N
Theriot didn't seem to fit In the circle,
we suspected that he hadn't treated
Dillon just right, and he seemed con-
scious Of his lapse from grace. Any
how, along about Valentines day, the
bright little Frenchman, without q
word to anybody, suddenly disap-
peared. He paid his bill all right, but
he didn't tell even Mrs. Blake where he
was going. " "
n 4I;n1- ~ NOS In tho ct1rot,np- ne 1890
hat l went down to Guthrie, Okla
homa, 10 write about the new en-
pire." / met Dillon on the street. He
seemed glad to see me, showed me his
store Git was the best business house
in town., and then, after inviting me
to his house for dinner, with a queer
look in his eye said:
II want you to see my wife and baby
but"
He chewed n~ervously at his cigar
and, smiling vaguely, added:
IF you're going back to the Maisor