The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-08
THE FENCER'S MARK
forIEnaLl


 took three years course. jolnel one of the corps and ln time ocean, involved In several student duels. When left Heidelberg. where had taken more interest in the small sword than my studies, stopped in Paris be fore returning to Am6cica. with view to seeing some French fencing. One evening party of us visited the cele' brated school of M. Brisson. While we were watching the pupils fence man entered and after looking on for awhile proposed to take the folls with the principal. BrlssOn couScIted and was astonished. as We all were. at the stran' gers skill. After dlSarmlng his adver. sary he took up piece of chalk. rub bed it on the foil. and. calling to Bris' son to place himself on guard. made one brilliant stroke after another and at last left a chalk mark of figure \ on the fencing masters walstcoat dt rectly over the heart.
 Victor Morrclr exclaimed several who were present with the same breath.
 "Who is Victor MOrrel?" | asked.
 "The most noted swordsman IL France"
 "A duellsty"
 "No: singularly enough. he has not the courage to fight a duel"
 "What Is his Occupationg"
 My informant. a Frenchman, shrug- ged his shoulders after the French fashion and walked out Of the school without replying to my question. Bris. son at once doffed his wire mask and put m his foil. In doing SO he turned his back upon his former antagonist and took care to keep 1t turned tin Morrel had left the academy. Evident ly the man who had shown hls skill was not a favorltc with him or, for the matter Of that. with any one present The Frcnchmcn all departed. leaving the room to our party. Morrel also de- parted and as he passed me I noticed the most repulsiye face l had ever seen on a man. did not wonder at the dis favor in which he was held. should have been afraid to pass him in a lone ly road had he cause to prick me in the back
 Three years later, In company with my friend Walter Douglas, l again viS- lied Europe. sailing from New York Co Chcrhourg and going from there Co Mcntone. winter resort In the south of France. One evening Douglas went Co walk with a little French girl who had captlvatcd him by her smart ap pcarauce. ne failed to return to the hotel. and toward morning, becoming anxious for bis safety. went Co search for him. | found him lying in hls blood n the gardens stabbed through .the heart. ills coat had been cut by the point of knife or sword so as to make what looked like the letter \. The blade had entered the heart at the point where the tracing ceased.
 In agoay at the murder of my friend. I called a gcndarmc. and the body was removed. | made every cG0rt to find the murderer. but without success. The mysterious letter : cut 10 hls coat would not be dropped from my mind It seemed Co partly awaken some menu ory. At last remembered Morrel and the figure & he had chalkcd on tue walstcoat of M. Br,sSon. Then it oc- cured Co me that the letter S was an t,,....,,,,,t.fn Gt.ftrn
 Going at cuce Co the police office requested them tO arrest the little French girl whom Douglas had been wi,h on the night of hiS murder and when she arrived at the rOlice office l questioned her myself. She came in charge of a gcRdarme. frightened and weeping. but. I fancled. on her guard.
 Have you a loyer:' 1 asked.
 "No. m'Sleu."
 Do you know any one expert with the swOrdy
 "No. m'sleu."
 Sue preserved her eQuanlmity. hut l ,aG that the question startled her
 "D!d you ever sec a mau cut or mark the figure s upon 0n gdversary's treast:'
 She turned pale and did not reply.
 "Whcrc Is Victor Morrelg"
 This broke her down. "I had nothing 70 Go with it." she cried. He was jeal .us of-the American. To not bring me Co the guillo;lne. beseech you"
 I turned to the prefcct of police. The case Is in your hands" I said. Find Victor Morrcl."
 Where Is NJ. MorrelT" hg asked of the girl.
 "Oh. do not know, Spare mel
 Take her away" said the officer to the eendarmc "She will finish her ca rcer on the guillouue."
 This was too much for her Gdellty 10 her lover. "I do not know where he ls." she said. Yesterday he was in Marse.llcs."
 That evening Morrel was orcsted in Marscillcs and brought to Moutonc for trial. He put on a bold front. feeling sure that there were no witness 8 of he murder.
 "M. Mcrrel." esteG the prosecuting attorney. "way were y-u so fcolhardy as to leave the G2uyr s on tec becrt Of the man you kIi,cd|
 'I Gld not" Hue prisoner exclaimed. paliug.
 .It looked lltc the letter 6. but had you completed lt yoI V -uld have made m s of It."