Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-01-16


deadly work, It would have been
enough to change the cold simmer Of
her face TO fash of warm delight.
For she would have understood every
feint lunge, parry, and seen at glance
how Father Beret set the pace and led
the race at the beginning. She would
have understood, for Father Beret had
taught her all she knew about the art
OF fencing.
Hamilton quickly felt, and with a
sense of its strangeness, the priests
mastery command Of his weapon. The
surprise called up all his caution and
cleverness. Before he could adjust
himself to such an unexpected con-
dition he came near being spitted out
right by a pretty pass under his guard
The narrow escape, while II put him on,
his best mettle, sent a wave OF super
Jtition through his brain. He recalled
what Barlow had tocularly said about
the dolngs Of the devll-priest or priest
devil at Rousslllon place on that night
when the patrol guard attempted to
take GHspard Roussillon. Was this
indeed Father Beret, that gentle old
man, now before him, or was II an
avenging demon from the shadest
The thought fitted electrically across
his mind, while he deftly parrled,
feinted, lunged, giving his dark antag-
onst all he could do to meet the play.
Priest or devil. he thought--he cared
not which--he would reach his vltals
presently. Yet there fingered with him
haunting half fear or tenuous awe
which may have aided, rather than
hindered, his excellent swordsman.
ship.
Underfoot II was slushy with mud,
water and ice, the consistency varying
from somewhat solid crust to pud-
dies that half inundated Hamilton's
boots and quite overflowed Father
Beret's 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 HIND he lost per.
ceptibly in suppleness. Still Hsmil.
ton failed to touch him. There was a
battling something In the old mans
escape now aud again from what ought
to have been an inevitable stroke.
Was It luck2 II 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
craftI
Youth forced ago slowly backward
in the struggle, which at times took
on spurts 30 furious that the slender
blades, becoming mere glints Of acicu-
lar steel, split the moonlight back and
forth, up and down, 10 that their meet
ings, following one another In a well
nigh continuous stroke, sent a Jarring
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 unsettle 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 like a
chill into his heart Then the priest
appeared to add a cubit to his stature
and waver strangely In the soft light
Behind him, low against the aly, a
wide winged owl shot noiselessly
across just above the prairie.
The soul OF a true priest il double;
II II the soul OF a saint and the soul Of
a worldly man. What Is most beauti-
ful In this duality is the supreme cour-
age with which the sanity spirit at
tacks the worldly and so often hero
ically masters H. In the beginning OF
the 6ght Father Beret lot q passion OF
the earthly body take him by storm.
II 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 impaled midway OF Father Be-
nets rapier. A little later the sanity
spirit began TO assert itself, feebly In
deed. but surely. Then II was that
Father Beret seemed 20 be losing agil-
ity for awhile as he backstepped away
from HamiltOn's increasing energy or
assault. In his heart the priest was
saying: II will not murder him. 1
must not do that He deserves death.
but vengeance is not mine. will dis
arm him" Step by step he retreated.
playing erratically 20 make an opening
for a trick he meant 20 use.
IL was slngularly loose play, a sort
OF wavering. shlfty. incomprehenEibIs
show OF carelessness that caused Ham
ilton 70 entertain a 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 Inn
possible, miraculously so, and every
plan OF attack dissolved into futiiity
in the most maddenlng way.
Priest, devil or ghostl" ragged Ham
flfOn Nth fRofh o,aNkaufuar awns.uA