Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-09-12

MASKED
IOriginal.l

first in athletics and last in his studies
Then came tour abroad. Disdain-
Ing such cffcmnatc affairs aS railway
carriages Larned used his legs.
Tramping in Germany. he stoupcd one
evening ut Il hotel in summer resort
where preparations were making for n
masked ball. He asked the landlord
for costume and was given on"-a
Faust-which he was informed had
been engaged several days before. but
rclinquishcd during the afternoon.
I.arncd pat it on and went down into
the ballroom.
Among the women was Marguerite,
trim. graceful figure with an i'm
mcnsc plait of blond hair, who on sec
ing Faust at once manifested an inter
est In him. Iarncd was not long in ad-
vancing and asking for dance.
"Ach," said the lady as soon as he
opened his mouth to speak. you are
some one else
Larncd begged for an explanation,
but the girl only laughed and put him
off with the remark: Il am well enough
satisfied. Don't pry into other peoples
affairs
During the evening Philip II. was
cying the Faust and Marguerite couple
with rs much apparent chaGrin as they
seemed to be mutually pleased. At
last Just as Faust was leading Mar
gucrite out to dance the king of Spain
rnhn nI I'm n him and said
"Icrr, | will relieve you of the lady"
mo one will relieve me-" replied
Faust, ''of any lady whom | have
asked to dance unless she wishes it."
But am he checked himself.
81 don't care if you're the grand duke
or the kaiser. The lady must decide
between u.s."
1T would have been impossible" said
the girl, for Marguerite to prefer any
one to Faust. even n king. However,
I'll dance the next with your majesty
if you so command"
The man turned on his heel and
walked away.
"Now. what have you done?' said
Marguerite. "IIe will challenge you,
'Oh. that's in my line" replied Faust.
IF | had to meet him in n disuuiSiton
on philosophical problem | would
offer humble apology. Unfortunate.
ly | was given the lowest order of ac-
complishments.''
When the dance was over q man
tapped Larncd on the shoulder. They
retired. and it was arranged that Il
duel with rapicrs should take place at
once. The parties passed separately
from the hotel so as not to attract at
tention. and the seconds led the way to
a barn near at hand. Lanterns were
procured and the principals placed in
position. TO Larned's surprise his OPP
poncnt chose to fight masked.
They were about evenly matched in
skill, but the German is never equal in
cXpedient to the American. Larned
sidled around till he put his enemy in
position where one OF the lanterns
shone directly in his eyes, then put
several inches of steel in the fleshy
part of his right side. 1t was not a
dangerous wound but just how serious
no one knew. The mask was removed,
the clothing torn open and the wound
examined.
"Your serene transparency" ex-
claimed the doctor Il thought you
were the other man."
Il intended to be, but changed my
mind"
Il am sorry" said Larned, ''to have
stepped into n mistake through your
intended costume, but rejoice to have
winged you so slightly"
His serene transparency was removed
by carriage to his own bed. Larned
went back to the hotel. In the hall
stood Marguerite unmaskcd. and very
high bred, pretty German fraulein sh"
was. She appeared relieved at seeing
one of the combatants return unhurt
and anXously inquired for the other
I.arncd assured her that he had got off
with a flesh wound.
at was my fault" she said. 'Ie is
my betrothed. We agreed to come
here as Faust and Marguerite He
changed his character and instructed
the landlord to rent his Faust costume
to see how | would act with another"
"It seems to me, fraulcin," said Lar
ned that he found out not only how
you would act, but how the another
would act"
"IIc is jealous"
"IIc will prize you all the more for
seeing you priced by the another
She looked at him with her eyes of
northern blue, and he read story.
Here is what he read condensed in that
one look:
81 am noble; you are not. | must
marry within my circle, my husband
being chosen for me. Tonight have
met the man could love, but between
him and me is an impossible barrier.
We have met without introduction; we
part with a passing acquaintance. II
I'VE meet again 1t will be as strangers"
"Fraulcin," said Larncd softly, "hav-
ing met you is the episode of my life.
/ regret having come for n moment be-
tween you and your betrothed and had
l known he were such would have re-
signed you at once. l assure YOU that
these few moments of happiness will
not cause me to forget that we are
merely masked acquaintances."
She put out her hand and gave his a
tod I.ry IlnI thnk