Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-29

his best mettle, sent wave of supeD
stition through his brain. He recalled
what Barlow had jocularly said about
the doings of the deyil-priest or priest
devil at Roussillon place on that night
when the patrol guard attempted to
take Gaspard Roussillon. Was this
indeed Father Beret. that gentle old
man, now before him. or was 1T an
aveneing demon from the shades!
The thought fitted electrically across
his mind, while he deftly parted,
tented. lunged. giving his dark antag-
onist all 10 could do to meet the play.
Priest or devil. he tlought-he cared
not which-,ie would reach his vitals
presently. Vel there fingered with him
z hann.ine half fear or tenuous awe,
which may have aided, rather than
hinderad, lis excellent swordsman-
ship.
undorfoot it was slushy with mud,
water and ice. the consistency varying
ssom Il somewhat solid crust to ppd-
dies that half inundated Hamilton's
boots and quite overfiowed Father
Barets moccasins-an execrable field
for the little matter in hand. They
gradually shifted position. Now II
was the governor. then the priest, who
had advantage as to the light. For
some time Father Beret seemed quite
the shiftier and surer fighter, but (waS
his age telling on him 2 he lost per-
ceptibly in suppleness. Still Hcmil-
ton failed to touch him. There was
battling something in the old mans
escape now and again from what ought
to have been an inevitable stroke.
Was 1t luck: 1t seemed to Hamilton
more than that-a sort OF uncanny eva
sion Or was it supreme mastery, the
last and subtlest reach Of the fencer's
craft?
Youth forced age slowly backward
In the struggle, which at times took
on spurts so furious that the slender
blades, becoming mere glints Of acicu-
lar steel, split the moonlight back and
forth, up and down, 50 that their meet
ings, following one another In well
nigh continuous stroke. sent Earring
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 unsettls 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 firing. A doubt crept Ike
| chill into his heart Then the priest
appeared to add cubit to his stature
and waver strangely in the soft light
Behind him. low against the sky.
wide winged owl shot noiseiessly
across just above the prairie.
The soul Of true priest IL double:
1t is the soul Of saint and the soul OF
q worldly man. What II most beauti-
full In this duality 10 the supreme cour-
age with which the sanity spirit at
tacks the worldly and SO often hero
ically masters 1t. In the beginning o.
the fight Father Baret let passion OIL
| the earthly body take kim by storm.
| It was well for Governor Henry Ham
ilton that the priest was SO wrought
upon as to unsettle his nerves; other
wise there would have been an evil
heart impsled midway Of Father Be
ret's rapien A little Ater the sanity
spirit began to assert itself, feebly In.
deed, but surely. Then it was that
Father Beset sesuoed 70 be losing ASfl-
ity for awhile ~ he hackstepped away
from HamiltOn's increasing energy Of
assault IN III hNaxt the priest was
saying: Il VIVA nos murder him. I
must not do that. He deserves death,
but vengeance Il not mine. ! VIZ dis.
arm huA" STEP b. step he retreated.
playing erratteaFy to make an opening
for trick be meant to use.
1t WIS singularly loose play, sort
Of waverin& si14tg, n6omprehensible
show Of care1essness that caused Ham
ilton to entertain doubt, which was
really a fear, as 10 what was going to
happen, for, notwithstanding all this
neglect Of due precaution on the
priests part, to touch him seemed Inn
possible, n1iraculously SO, and every
plan Of attack dissolved into futility
in the most naddening way.
i Priest, devil or ghost" ragged Ham
ilton, with froth gathering around
his mouth. "I'll Kill you, or
4 He made lunge when his adversary
left an opening which appeared abso.
lutely beyond defense. It was quick,
dexterous, vicious thrust. The blade
leaped toward Father Beret's heart
with twinkle Ike lightning.
At that moment. although warily
alert and hopeful that his opportunity
was at hand, Esxher Berst came near
losing his life. Tor as he sidestepped
and easily parried Haanilton's thrust,
which he had invited, thinking to en-
tangle his blade and disarm him, he
caught his foot in Alice's skirt and
stumbled, nearly falling across her.
1t would have been easy for Hamilton
to run him through had he instantly
| followed up the advantage, but the
moonlight on AHce's face struck his
eyes, and by that indirect ray OF vision
which is often strangely effective he
recognized her lying there. It was .
disconcerting thing for him, but he
!. rallied instantly and sprang aside, TAX
ing new position just in time to face
Father Beret again. A chill crept up
h;s hack The horror which he could