Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1903-11-28
/ THE GRIP )
or HONOR !
Cyrus 6ovnSend Brady. ;
copyrebh 1900. BY CHARLES ScRIBWER'S SONS s
rs 6oavnSend Brady,


am lieutenant in the navy OF MS maj
esty Louis XVI. MY father is mar
shall of France. Will you draw nowY'
he cried, stepping forward impetuous-
".
"A brilliant array of titles surely!
Pity it lacks other confirmation than
your word. 1 scarcely comprehend the
catalogue" replied Coventry coldly.
81 shall endeavor to enlighten you as
to my credibility with this" said
O'Neill drawing his sword. Now will
you fight or not?"
''And if 1 persist in my refusalW
asked Coventry, who was playing for
time.
cat this juncture 1 shall be under
the painful necessity of killing you in
the presence Of your betrothed; so
draw, my dear sir, if not for honor,
for
"What?" +
"LifeI'
"On guardv' cried the Englishman,
whipping out his sword.
"Stopv cried Elizabeth, springing be-
tween their swords. "He saved my
life at the risk of his own"
Course him!' said the Englishman,
grinding his teeth.
"Your condemnation comes too late,
SIR" said O'Neill with bitter emphasis,
with an expressive glance at Elizabeth,
who continued impetuously:
"This gentleman treated me with the
most distinguished courtesy"
81 wish that he had exhibited some
Of it here" interrupted Coventry again.
81 have but followed your own ex-
ample" retorted O'Neill calmly.
"Will you hear me in silence, Ed
ward? They are not pirates
81 call them so," said Coventry stub
bornly. %
Enough, Lady Elizabeth" said
O'Neill, taking his share in the con-
versation again. 1.-TWO lovers are
sometimes an embarrassment of riches.
This seems to be one of the times. If
you will stand aside, l trust that few
moments will rid you Of one or the
other Of them"
81 will not go!' said the girl defiant
~. ''You shall not fight; you have
nothing to quarrel about"
eve have you, or rather he has,"
responded the Irishman.
"Withdraw, 1 beg Of you, Elizabeth.
This matter must be settled" said
Coventry in his turn.
II will not l tell you!" persisted the
girl determinedly. eff you fight, you
will fight through me-"
"We'are doing that now" said O'Neill
savagely. ''Will you withdraw, mad
amp
II repeat it, 1 will not, and 1 wish
to remind you that 1 do not like your
tone. You are not on the deck of your
ship now, sir"
"Oh, am 1 not? Boat ahoy, there!
Price!' cried O'Neill, waving his hand.
A few strokes brought the whaleboat
to the shore again. The crew were
eager to take a hand in the fray. |
''Cockswain, come here!' said the Of
6cer.
aye, aye, SIR" replied the sailor. !!
And while the other two stood wonder
ing the veteran seaman rolled up to |
them and saluted his lieutenant with q |
sea scrape. want us to take a hand |
in this, yere little scrimmage, yer hon.
OFT"
s"No. Take this lady and her maid to
that clump of rocks yonder."
'That's easy; faint no fightin' at all,
that. Come along, yer leddyship," said
the old man in great disappointment
rs the boat showed off again.
"You monster" cried Elizabeth, +
stamping her foot on the sand. "You
are pirate after allr'
"As you say, madam. Stop, siry
said O'Neill to Coventry, who made
move to approach the sailor my
man will do no harm to her ladyship,
and you have other matters to attend |!
to unless you wish to shelter yourself
behind woman's petticoats.''
Coventry had been playing for more
lime, but this was more than he could
stand. II think you have said enough.
SIR. and if you are ready. he said, 1--WE
will talk in another fashion" @
"At your service" said the Irishman
,omposedly. Two swords flashed in
The air simultaneously and rang
against each other with deadly purpose
moment after. Both men were mas
ters Of the weapon. Coventry had
been thoroughly trained in the more
1irect English school, while O'Neill
vas master Of all the graceful tricks
# the subtle fence of France and Italy.
It was as pretty a play, parry and
thrust, as one could hope to see, and.
:or a time the advantage was with nei-j
her one of them. Elizabeth stood
With clasped hands, her face pale with
emotion, her lips parted, eagerly watch
ng. The maid, as usual, was furnish.
ng a comic side to the scene by her
screams of Murder! HelpY while the
|ailors were deeply interested in the
,wo combatants.
Finally after one especially vicious
hrust on the part Of Coventry, whose
DOT slipped a little, a clever parry, fol-
owed by dashing iposte en- quartz.