Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-03-03
eop,,ish.. 1909. b, tn. BowEN.mERRlLL COMPANY
Continued
By MAURICE THOMPSON

1EOIu IL SUulcW VUl SOl1u SfuSl u pun
dies that half inundated Hamilton's
boots and quite overlooked Father
Beret's moccasinsan eXccrable field
for the little matter in hand. They
gradually shifted position. Now it
was the governor. then the priest. who
had advantage as to the light. For
some time Father Berct seemed quite
the shifticr and surer fighter, but (was
his age telling on HING he lost per-
ceptibly in. suppleness. Still Halnil-
ton failed to touch him. There was IL
battling something in the old mans
escape now and again from what ought
to have been an inevitable stroke.
Was it luck? 1t seemed to Hamilton
more than that-a sort of uncanny eva
sion. Or was it supreme mastery. the
last and Subtleet reach of the fenccr'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, SO that their meet
ings, following one another in well
nigh continuous stroke, sent Il Earring
noise through the air. Father Reret
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 i'm pro-
die against the ground: but he did not
let even that unsettlc his fencing gazr.
which followed the sunkcn and dusky
eyes of his adversary. \ PRESENTATION
suddenly flooded his body. however.
and began to drip across his face His
arm was firing. A doubt crept like Il
chill into his heart. Then the priest
appeared to add cubit to his stature
and WAIVER strangely in the soft light.
Behind him, low against the sky. Al
wide winged owl shot noisclessly
across just above the prairie.
The soul of true priest is double:
it is the soul Of saint and the soul OF
worldly man. What is most bcauti-
full in this duality is the supreme co,,r-
age with which the sanity spirit at
tacks the worldly and so often hero
ically masters it. In the beginning of
the fight Father Beret let passion Of
the earthly body take him by storm.
1t was we'll 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 impaled midway of Father Be-
ret's rapier. \ little later the sanity
spirit began to assert itself. feebly in
deed, but surely. Then it was that
Father Beret seemed to be losing agil-
ity for awhile as he backstepped away
from Hamilton's increasing energy Of
assault. In his heart the priest was
saying: Il will not murder him.
must not do that. He deserves death,
but vengeance is not Nine l will dis
arm him" Step by step he retreated.
playing erratically to make an opening
for a trick lie meant to use.
1t was singularly loose play, u sort
Of wavering, shifty, incomprehensible
show of carelessness that caused Ham,
nton to entertain 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'll
possible, miraculously so, and every
plan Of attack dissolved into futility
In the most maddening way.
"Priest, devil or ghost!' ragged Ham
ilton, with froth gathering around
his mouth. I'LL kill you, or
He made a lungc when his adversary
left an opening which appeared abso-
lutely beyond defense. 1t was a quick,
dexterous, vicious thrust. The blade
leaped 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 sidestepped
and easily parted Hamilton'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 Alice's face struck his
eyes, and by that indirect ray Of vision
which is often strangely effective he
recognized her lying there. 1t 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
his back. The horror which he could
not shake of enraged him beyond
measure. Gathering fresh energy, he
renewed the assault with desperate
the highest product of abso-
lutefy molten fury.
Father Beret felt the dangerous &C.
cess Of power in his antagonists arm
and knew that a crisis had arrived.
He could not be careless now. Here
was q swordsman Of the best school
calling upon him Tor all the skill and
strength and cunning that he could
eemmand. Again the sanity element
M near being thrown aside by the
worldly In the old mans breast. Alice
wing there seemed mutely demanding
hat he avenge her. A riotous some
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