The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-08-16

struggling to regain his composure.
"You are not a 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 by his own assurance, but
now he was forced to regard his OPP
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 a
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 eye, 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 wrenched 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.
Gear 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 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 a slip.
Twas false step, 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,
'pringing to where his sword had
allen and snatching it up.
"Sir count" here spoke Ruric
'almly, but with marked contempt,
you should not blame me for what
have done, for thrice have you
ried to break my sword"
'Then try it again!" Damonoff
eturned. 'Take my sword again if
vou can"
perhaps not" our hero retorted.
But be sure your sword shall be
lsed no more after this day."
"Ha! Rrag not, but strike. If
,ou cam
The conclusion of the sentence
vas 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
truck Damonoff's blade close to the
taft and broke it in twain.
my other sword, my other
world" the count shouted, now
linded by absolute madness. ooh, {
i've me my other !
"Holdp' cried both the surgeon !
nd Stephen Urzen in concert. "You {
re mad, Conrad" !
SMad? Oh, | shall be mad ,
there is my sword" the reckless I
ian yelled, casting the bladeless
ommel down.
''But will you not listen one"-
away, sayl Shall ! give up be-
ause my sword is broken? By the
Gus, the weapon deceived me.
Where is the other?"
Deceived thee, Conrad ?" repeat
d the surgeon sarcastically. seBy !
he Holy Ghost, had thy head but
eceived hundredth part of the
low 'twould not be upon thy shout ,
ers nowl''
But the count was beyond all rea- ,
IN. In his madness he saw not that !
is sword had been broken on pur-
ose. He did not see that he had
cen at his antagonists mercy. But q
is friends saw it all. :
"Hal Whom have we here ?" cried /
laric, whose eye had caught a dark r
'rm at the entrance of the old /
uildipg.
1t was Vladimir, the monk. +
"How now? What seek We here?n v
'ked Urzen as the fat, burly monk O
added toward the party. f
Il heard the clash of arms. nv v
IN, as | rode by, and 1 stopped to
e what it was. Surely where the k
ork of death is going on a child of s