Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-09

strength and endurance far beyond his Or
binary form.
But even this strength and endurance
could not last forever against such a blade.
His thrusts grew weaker and his breathing
more labored till he drew off a moment
and stood bent and trembling, his point
resting upon the ground and his gaze fixed
in baffled hatred upon the young Irishman
1t was at just this moment while he
stood waiting, tall slender, strong and
ready, his head reared grew to know
1t well In times of stress. point resting
lightly upon the ground near his feet left
hand upon hip-it was at this moment that
/ saw-and l think Won Altdorf saw 1t, too
a strange look come upon Mallory's face
an uncertainty. a problem. 1t was as If he
put himself a question and demanded it's
answer. Here was he in a quarrel not of
his seeking, driven to 1t by insults the
grossest possible. and facing the man
of all the world who stood in the way of
what his heart craved. Here was a way
out of his difficulties, everything made
easy The giving up of all that was dear
est to him in the world, that he
had thought inevitable, need not be
done. Here was a way easy and sure
do the thing himself. 4 parry with the
point held firm, not brought back en- garde,
and the mans own lunge must spit him--so
easy as that-ani Eleanor in the house
yonder!
l think both Won Altdorf and I read his
thoughts as though they We're a printed
page, l felt Won Altdorfs hand upon my
shoulder. 1t trembled little. Then the
look passed from Mallory's face as swiftly
as 1T had come. He gave his head a little
shake and smiled once more. He even
glanced up to the window. where the two
of us leaned far out, watching with fas-
cinated eyes, and gave us a humorous wink.
1t was like Denis. Tragedy and comedy
ran ever side by side In his nature, and he
found fun in the darkest of dangers.
The prince attacked once more, furiously,
with sort of desperate madness as If he
knew himself Overmatched but sought by
the very storm of his onslaught to beat
down that steel wall. But he met with
had been content. before. merely to keep
his body from hurt now took the offensive
and pressed the other into defense, pressed
him till he broke ground, till he retreatad
step by STEP and at last his left heel
touched the wall. We who sat near lust
over their heads. saw the perspiration break
out upon the princes forehead and trickle
down his nose and cheeks.
Then began the marvellous part of It for
Denis, quiet. cool, steady as machine
began to break through the others guar
at will. His blade flashed too swiftly for
sight to follow. To us above it had the
appearance of being in a dozen places at
once a dozen glittering lines with the after
noon sun shining upon its length, as the
spokes of rapidly moving wheel seem
blended to the eye in fan of quivering
light
He made none of those silly and unneces-
sary motions, those stampings and outcrics
and wavings of the arm to which the
Italians and even the French hold. He
fought with the least movement possible
knees bent no more than need be, wris.
free and swifter than lightning, eyes calm
steady and fixed unwaveringly upon those
of his opponent, never upon the blades
say he broke through the princes guard