The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-05-18
With one leap he sprang from the
carriage, leaving Will half dazed and

With one leap he sprang from the
carriage, leaving Will half dazed and
limp within.
Even as he left the carriage step,
he found himself confronted with an
adversary eager as himself; for at
that instant Beau Wilson was hasten
ing from his coach. Vain, weak and
pompous in way, yet lacking not in a
certain personal valor, Beau Wilson
stopped not for his seconds, tarried not
to catch the others speech, but himself
strobe madly onward, his point raised
slightly, as though he had lost all
care and dignity and desired nothing
SO much as to stab his enemy as swift
ly as might be.
1t would have mattered nothing now
to this Highlander, this fighting Ar
gyll, what had been the reason animat-
ing his opponent. 1t was enough that
he saw a weapon. barred. Too late
then, to reason with John Law, Beau"
Law of Edinboro,' "Jessamy" Law, the
best blade and the coolest head in all
the schools of arms that taught him
fence.
For moment Law paused and
raised his point, whether in query or
in salute the onlookers scarce could
tell. Sure it was that Wilson was the
first to fall into the assault Scarce
pausing in his stride, he came on
hlindly, and, raising his own point,
lunged straight for his opponents
breast. Sad enough was the fate
which impelled him to do this thing
1t was over in an instant. 1t could
not be said that there was an actual
encounter The sidestep of the young
Highlander was soft as that of a
panther, as quick, and yet as full of
savagery. The whipping over his
wrist, the gliding, twining, clinging Of
his blade against that of his enemy
was so swift that eye could scarce have
followed it. The eye of Beau Wilson
was too slow to catch it or to guard
He never stopped the riposte, and in
deed was too late to attempt any
guard. !. Pierced through the body Will
son staggered back, clapping his hands
against his chest. Over his face there
swept a swift series of changes. Anger
faded to chagrin, that to surprise, sur
prise to fright. and that to gentleness.
"Sir," said he, you've hit me fair,
and very hard. pray you, some
/, friend, give me an arm
And so they led film to his carriage
and took him home corpse. Once
more the code of the time had found
| its victim.
Law turned away from the coach OF
his smitten opponent, turned away with
face stern and full of trouble Many
things resolved themselves in his mind
as he stepped slowly towards the car
riage, in which his brother still sat
wringing his hands in an agony OF
perturbation.
Jack, jack" cried Will Law, ooh,
heavens! You have killed him! You
have killed man! What shall we
do?"
j Law raised his head and looked his
brother in the face, but seemed scarce
to hear him. Half mechanically he
was fumbling in the side pocket of his
coat. He drew forth from it now a
peculiar object, at which he gazed in
tently and half in curiosity. 1t was the
little beaded shoe of the Indian woman
the very object over which this ill
fated quarrel had arisen, and which
now seemed SO curiously to intermin-
gle itself with his affairs.
"'Twas slight shield enough" he
said slowly to himself, "yet it served.
Rut for this little piece of hide, me-
thinks there might be two of us going
home to-day to take somewhat OF
rest"
ITO Be Continued.]