Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-11-21

| ueStIy uOuuldlIng us voice to SlncereSt
beseechment. Il really did not mean to
be impudent. nor
Her vivacity cleared with merry
laugh.
mo apologies, l command you." she
interposed. 1--WE will have them after
l have, taught you a fencing lesson"
From shelf she drew down a pair
Of foils and, presenting the hits, babe
him take his choice.
There isn't any difference between
them that I know off," she said, and
then added archly, "but you will feel
better at last, when all is over and the
sting of defeat tingles through you, if
you are conscious of having used every
sensible precaution."
He looked straight into her eyes, try
Ing to catch what was in her mind, but
there was bewildering glamour play
Ing across those gray, opal tinted wells
Of mystery, from which he could draw
only mischievous smile CLINT, direct,
daring. irresistible
"Well," he said, taking one of the
foils, what do you really mean? Is it
a challenge without room for honorable
retreat?'
1.-The time for parley is past" she re-
piled. ''Follow me to the battle ground"
She led the way to pleasant little
court in the rear of the cabins yard, a
space between two wings and vine
covered trellis, beyond which lay a
well kept vineyard and vegetable gar
den. Here she turned about and faced
him, posing her foil with fine grace
Are you ready? she inquired
He tried again to force a way into
the depths of her eyes with. his, but he
might as we'll have attacked the sun,
80 he stood in confusion of not very
well defined feelings, undecided, hest
tating, half expecting that there would
be some laughable turn to end the af-
fair.
"Are you afraid, NJ Beverley" she
demanded after a short waiting in
silence.
He laughed now and whipped the air
with his foil.
you certainly are not in earnest?' he
said interrogatively. do YOU really
mean that you want to fence With me?'
IF: you think because I'm only a
girl you can easily beat me, try it,"
she tauntingly replied, making a level
thrust toward his breast.
Quick as flash he parted, and then
a merry clinking and twinkling of steel
blades kept time to their swift move
ments. Instantly, by the sure sense
which is half sight, half feeling-the
sense that guides the experienced fenc-
er's hand and wrist-Beverley knew
that he had probably more than his
match, and in ten seconds his attack
was met by time thrust in opposition
which touched him sharply.
Alice sprang back, lowered her point
and laughed.
''Je vous salue, NJ. Beverley" she
cried, with childlike show of delight
ibid you feel the button?'
Eyes, 1 felt it, he said with frank
acknowledgment in his voice. 1T was
cleverly done. Now give me a chance
to redeem myself"
He began more carefully and found
that she, too, was on her best mettle;
but it was a short bout, IS before.
! Alice seemed to give him an easy open
ing and he accepted it with thrust.
Then something happened that he did
not understand. The point Of his foil
was somehow caught under his oppo-
nents hilt guard while her blade seemed
to twist around his. At the same time
there was wiring and a jerk, the like
| ~ VIII no ho6 hot Pol
he was disarmed, his wrist and fingers
aching with the wrench they had re-
ceived.
! OF course the thing was not new; he
had been disarmed before; but her
trick of doing it was quite mystery
to him, altogether different from any
that he had ever seen.
"Vous me pardonnerez, monsieur"
she mockingly exclaimed, picking up
his weapon and offering the hilt to
him. Here is your sword!'
keep it," he said, folding his arms
and trying to look unconcerned: you
have captured it fairly. I am at your
mercy; be kind to me-
mime. Roussillon and Jean, the
| uuuCuDdck, nearing TIE racket OF Cne
foils, had come out to see and were
standing agape.
"You ought to be ashamed. Alice, -
said the dame in scolding approval of
what she had done. "Girls do not fence
with gentlemen"
'"This girl does" said Alice
'And with extreme disaster to this
gentleman" said Beverley, laughing in
a tone of discontinue and resignation
"Ah, m'sieu', there's nothing but dis
aster where she goes" complained
Nine. Roussillon. "She is a destroyer
Of everything. Only yesterday sh'
dropped my pink bowl and broke it
the only one had
land just to think" said Beverley
"what would have been the condition
of my heart had we been using rapier'
instead of leather buttoned foils! Sh'
would have spitted it through the yer.
center"
Like enough" replied the dame in
differently. "She wouldn't vince
either-not she."
| Alice ran into the house with tn,