Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-12-19

Il am afraid" said Hessington serene
~. you are mistaken, sir. Fraulein
Gretchen is engaged for this dance"
TO whon?''
'To me"
st is Incredible said the captain
| laughing insolently. Remove yourself
sir!"
Instead, Hessington removed the cap.
tain with a shove that surprised him into
gaping speechlessness and left a way
open into the dance. Next moment he
was steering the girl through the midst
of the dancers with an even greater
pleasure than before. He could see the
captain gather himself together and
stamp off toward the door, and people
watching himself and Gretchen intently
Then the girl spoke, half frightened:
II He will challenge you when this dance
is over Are you good with the saber?"
Moderately"
And you think that it was worth it,"
What Hessington said then he could
not afterward remember. The fortunes
of the night had mounted to his brain
and intoxicated him, nor could he recall
what she answered or what followed
next. He vaguely recolleeted that he ac-
cepted Capt Won Lippelsohirm's challenge
TO fight duel with sabres. and the serv-
ices as second of tall masked Mephis-
topneles, VINO presented himself briefly
and gavely This part OF the business
was conducted i'll II room adjoining the
hall, and the captains seconds proposed
a speedy adjournment to settle the mat
ter.
When and where YOU will, said Hes
sin gton's second. There must be torches.
Ludwig and Hans can be trusted TO hold
them. There need be no scandal. | sug
gest that the principals retain their
masks. think, indeed, there is no need
of names Capt. Won Lippelschirm is suf-
iiciently acquainted with my friend"
HE hopes to be still further acquaint-
ed" was the answer.
With that they went ont together, and
once more Hessington felt the crisp snow
under his feet.
This way" said his Mephistopheles,
leading to the back of the inn beyond
the moat, and Hessington, as he crossed
swords with his adversary two minutes
later in the glare of the torchlight, real
lied that the moon, whose forecast he
had seen OH his way thither, was still far
from high. He wondered at that while he
felt round Won Lppelschirm's blade with
his own. and the steel began TO purr.
You'll slip" he heard himself say once
i'll English. as the captain attacked
fiercely. For his own part Hessington
fought with his wrist, feeling somehow
that the ground was treacherous He
was rewarded by a grunt from his see
ond as Won Lippelschirm, in making an
outset, slid shoulder forward on to three
inches of steel.
81 said he would remarked Hessing-
ton sympathetically to no one in par
ticular. He was trying to take Off his
mask to see more clearly how his OPP
ponent, supported now between the two
seconds, was faring Next moment he
succeeded and
The devil." cried Mephistophcles;
''who are you, sir!"
Hessington stared, and il is to be sup
posed his obvious bewilderment impressed
the other two (for the captain had faint
ed into believing what he said of him
self In his turn he was compelled to
believe what they told him namely, that
he had been more mistaken than they
The place was no inn at all, but a castle
belonging to the Graehn Won Edelstcin
whose daughter. Margaret, was the
Gretchen of the masked ball.
And yuu. sir. we took to be the Prince
Of Sarmat Detburg, to whom, as the
Graein hopes, her daughter is about TO
be betrothed He had promised to come
over tonight incognito foi' some madcap
reason. and do his counting masked. The
Graefn was certain YOU were he, Me
phlstopheles explained.
Put not your trust in princes" said
Washington. parrotlike; at which the
other two went into roars of laughter
Nor in touring Englishmen, it seems, !"
said Mephistcpheles
Though he has done the prince good
turn by proxy" said the other But Nc
phistophelcs was not sure.
1T would be wisest in any case" he
said IF YOU were to go on TO your inn
Mt once. Mr. Hessington. Some explana
ton is unavoidable, but Won Lppelschirnl
is sufficiently wounded, and the GIGcEn
Margaret"- He paused
"Ycs; it win be wisest to co. said