Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-12-17
Z Copyright, 1909, by Az. Marchmont
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Probably, too, there was some way of
escape If could only find it. With that
began to grope around the walls and
feel for window.
was doing this when there came n
noise of unbarring, and an opening was
made in the wall, through which the
night air came rushing cold and blus-
ferrous.
"Herr Graf" called voice.
"IVho is that?'
ut is 1, Captain d'Aguilar. You will
find your sword there. If you are not
afraid, come out by this window, and l
will lead you to place where l can
cheat the platoon by taking your life"
Good" said emphatically, seeing
now 1t was he, and not Lota, who had
put the sword there for me and why he
had done it. In moment was by his
side and we were striding through the
darkness of the night.
He took me to an empty barn in
which a couple Of lamps We're burning
giving dim. unsteady light.
"Time's short. This is the best we
can do. We must use swords and car
have ITO witnesses. Sign this first" He
held out a paper, and read it by the
light of the two small lamps.
eve, Captain d'Aguilar and the Graf
Won Hollebrann, have agreed to settle
our quarrel alone together here will
swords. Everything fairly and honora
bly, DONE"
signed under his name and laid the
paper underneath one of the lamps.
"Quick~ he said, and saw he had
already stripped to his shirt and was
rolling up the sleeve of his sword arm.
l made ready instantly, and in less
than half a minute we stood facing one
another in the grim, silent place, star
ing into each others eyes, ready to en-
gage.
'"ro the deathv" he said fiercely.
ITO the death!" / answered in tn
same tone, setting my teeth, and OH
swords crossed.
The first few passes showed me tina
was a stronger man than he, but III
the better swordsman. He was, how
ever, half beside himself with rage
and from the moment when he hisse'
out the words, 'ro the death!' l say
his deadly intent was set on killing me
The light was abominably insufficient
for the grim work. The lamps wer
| placed one in the middle of each side O
the long, gloomy barn, and, althoug
the light was fairly distributed as w
stood in the center, saw in momen
that if either Of us gave way the ma
who was pressed back would be at a
enormous disadvantage. The groun
was very uneven, too merely beate
earth, and the Jumps and bumps on
were likely enough to trip one up
forced backward. My antagonist ha
taken note of these things as keenly q
l, and he put all his force and strengt
into an effort to drive me back.
l answered with an effort equal t
his own, and for awhile our heav
cavalry swords FLASHED and rang III
der the fierce blows which we dealt q
one another.
Had it not been for his rage al
convinced he would have killed m
within a couple of minutes for b
lunged and cut at me, parrying IN
best strokes with skill far beyon
mine.
But he fought like mailman, and
was soon sure that his strength coul
not last long at the furious pace
set. l fought mainly on the defensiy,
therefore, and had all my work to say
myself. Indeed l was wounded /
three places before l touched hi
once.
| A furious blow at my head 1 mai
aged to turn, but only SO that it gasl
ed my left shoulder, bringing the bloc
streaming down my arm and side. A
most instantly afterward smartin
cut on my leg told me was wounde
there, and before had time to thin
of it his sword had sliced the lowe
part of my left cheek.
All the time not a word WAS spokel
not moments breathing space mad
in the fighting. We eyed each other /
grim, deadly animosity, and, excer
that there was a brighter CLEAN q
yindictiveness and pleasure when b
wounded me, there was no change i
the fierce intensity and blood lust wit
which his eyes held mine.
saw that l should be certainly xii
ed If kept on the defensive only.
should either be hacked to pieces graz
ually or grow too weak from loss {
blood to parry his more dangerou
blows. l changed, therefore, suddenl,
and, with something of the wildnes
Of beast ut bay when 1t scents dealt
began to cut and thrust at him wit
all the strength l could muster, pou
ing in my blows with such rapid VII
lence that twice in as many minutes
broke down his guard and wounde
him.
We were both bleeding badly nov
and my antagonist was breathing yer
heavily with the fatigue of the comba
but my rage had laid hold Of me nov
and, though l was cool and war
enough outwardly, fought with Il
the fiery vehemence of desperation. NJ
greater strength soon told, and raine
in my blows with such staggering r.
pidity that he could scarcely fend thel
off, and at that saw a look come I'M
his eyes which spoke OF his conyictio
that should beat him.
| This glrded me to still further exc
tons. Now was my chance or neve
and a minute later the end came. Nal
ing rapid feint, put all my strengt
into terrific stroke which he tried
vain to parry. 1t crashed through b
guard and slashed> into his sword ar
with such force as to nearly sever Il
limb from tha hndv His sword WEI