Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-10-23


 lar steel. split the moonlight back and Forth, up and down, so that tbeir meet engs, following one another in g we'll nigh continuous stroke, sent jarring noise through the air. Father Beret lost inch by inch, until the fighting was almost over the body of Alice, and now for the first time Hamilton became aware of that motionless something with the white, luminous face in pro- file against the ground: but he did not let even that unsettIe his fencing gaze, which followed the sunken and dusky eyes of his adversary. A perSpiration suddenly flooded his body, however, and began to drip across his face. His arm was tfrang. A doubt crept like chill into his heart Then the priest. appeared to add cubft to his stature and waver strangely in the soft light. Behind him, low against the sky, q wide winged owl shot noiselessly hcross just above the prairie.
 The soul of true priest is double; at Is the soul of saint and the soul of a worldly man. What is most beauti zu1 in this duality is the supreme cour- age with which the saintly spirit at tacks the worldly and so often hero 5caIly masters it. Tn the beginning of Ehe light Father Beret let passion of khe earthly body take him by storm. 1t was well for Governor Henry Hams slton that the priest was so wrought upon as to unsettle his nerves; other wise there would have been an evil heart impaled midway of Father Be ret's rapier A little later the saintly spirit began to assert itself, feebly in deed, but surely. Then it was that Father Beret seemed to be losing agil- 1ty for awhile as be backstepped away from Hamiiton's increasing energy of assault. Tn his heart the priest was saying: 'I will not murder him. I must not do that. He deserves death, but vengeance is not mine. I will dis arm him. Step by step he retreated, playing erratically to make an opening for trick he meant to use.
 It was singularly loose play, sort of wavering, shifty, 1ncomprehensible show of carelessness that caused Ham, flton to entertain a doubt, which was really fear, as to what was going to happen, for, notwithstanding all this neglect of due precaution on the priests part, to touch him seemed i'm possible, miraculousIy so, and every plan of attack dissolved into futility in the most maddening way.
 Priest, devil or ghostr' ragged Ham tlton, with a froth gathering around his mouth. .sI'll kill you, or',-
 He made Iunge when his adversary left an opening which appeared abso- lutely beyond defense. It was quick, dexterous, vicious thrust The blade ieaped toward Father Beret's heart with twinkle like lightning.
 At that moment, although warily alert and hopeful that his opportunity was at hand, Father Beret came near losing his life, for as he sfdestepped and easily parTfed Hamilton's thrust, which he had invited, thinking to en- tangle his blade and disarm him, be caught his foot in AIice's skirt and etumbleds nearly falling across her. It would have been easy for Hamilton to run him through had he instantly followed up the advantage, but the moonlight on AIice's face struck his eyes, and by that indirect ray of vision which is often strangely effective he recognized her lying there. It was a disconcerting thing for him, but he rallied instantly and sprang aside, talk ing new position just in time to face Father Beret again. A chill crept up his back. The horror which he could not shake off enraged him beyond measure. Gathering fresh energy, he renewed the assault with desperate eteadiness, the highest product of abso- lutely molten fury.
 Father Beret felt the dangerous ac- cess of power in his antagonists arm and knew that a crisis had arrived. He could not be careless now Here was swordsman of the best school calling upon him for all the skill and strength and cunning that he could command. Again the saintly element was near being thrown aside by the. worldly in the old mans breast Alice lying there seemed mutely demanding that he avenge her. A riotous some thing in his blood clamored for a. quick and certain act in this drama by moonlight, tragic close by a stroke of terrible yet perfectly fitting justice.
 There ~as but the space of breath, for the conflict in the priests heart, yet during that little time he reasoned the case and quoted Scripture to him. self
 "Domine, percutimus in gladio?'' rang through his mind. (.'Lord, shall we smite with the sword?'D
 Hamilton seemed to make answer to this with a dazzling display of skill. The rapiers sang strange song above 9he sleeping girl, a lullaby with corus- cations of death in every keen note
 Hamilton pressed. nay rushed, the fight with weight and at S pace which could not last, but Father Beret withstood him so firmly that he made no farther headway. He even lost some ground moment later.
 You Jesuite hypocrite!'' he snarled. .sYou lowest of vile brotherhood of Harsp'
 Then he rushed again. making magnificent show of strength, quick ftnsss and eccl1racy fa The sna rlxs hiSsad