Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-05-20

stranger? Have l said that I was
grateful?"
Colonel Washington" said Henry,
as my best friend. An | had been in
the inn parlor, sir, l had drunk that
toast with you"
The night was very still. Scarce a
leaf stirred in the vagrant breeze or
in the haze. only dull hum
ming chirr of night insects from the
thicket and drifting across this-a gold
snake on Il sad carpet-the rich, plain
live bubble of a whippoorwil
Gentlemen" cried Rolph, sis all
ready"
'IIave you no command, monsieurT
Henry asked.
The young mans eyes were soft as
he shook his head "How sweet it
sings" he said. Listen"
1t died, and the tapping of bell,
very faint and far and tenuous, came
over the still valley. Henry knew the
sound. Away to the eastward on n
high knoll, stood a long low structure
of limestone, with wide veranda.
belfries with alarm bells, which had
been hung twenty years before, after
Braddock's defeat, when the Indians
turned their tomahawks against the
white chief that dwolt there. The In
dams had been driven westward long
ago. but the bells still rang whenever
the master, with yelping hounds or by
do Y.fr, 10. l.;
At this moment while Armand stood
in the moonlight with naked sword
in his hand, my Lord Fairfax, for
whose afIrOnt he stood, was come again
saddened to Greenway Court.
Foy's voice broke in, sneeringly
wrathful. Are we come to string
beads
EN- gardew cried Armand, turning
sharply, and the two blades rang to-
gether with a clash.
Foy's attack was wonderfully strong
He had the trick of carrying the head
well back and resting the whole weight
of his body upon the left leg, a sign Of
one whose learning had been without
masks. Tho others method was as
different from that OF his antagonist
as night from day. He fought far for
ward, engaging much with the point.
A maitre d'escrime might have seen
in his action some Of the freedom and
directness which later gave Bertrand,
the greatest fencing master of Europe,
the surname of the Terrible" But to
the watchers it seemed to be utterly
without method-barren of rule-to be
loose, uncontained. He possessed the
appearance of a child at careless play
with a serpent, not conscious of its
sinister intention.
A pain came into Uenry's dark eyes
and Il paler tinge to his cheeks. He
groaned inwardly as Foy suddenly
came Mt Armand, pressing him back
in a furious chasse-croisse, first the
right foot forward, then the left
The lieutenant stood close to Henry,
his lips parted, watching. "They say
Foy was taught of Angelo" he whis-
pered, land that the pupil could best
his master Your friend is in evil
case"
So indeed it seemed. Foy was a
brute. and he fought like one, with face
distorted and breath rafting with rage.
He came on with the lunge of a hunt
er at boar, his blade hate heavy, and
the very fury of his rush sent the young
Frenchman back to the verge Of the
bushes.
Armand returned with a stop thrust,
parted a lunge and answered by
riposts. Then for q moment there was
nothing but the du-tac-autac Of slim
steel, cutting Maynard blue white
flashes where the milky light caught
its edge.
END the cub, Foy," cried Rolph with
an oath, land let us to town! You
could have spitted him forty tines"
by heavenw suddenly burst out
Henry "Bravow
The Frenchman's blade, beating up
fanconnade, had nicked a crimson
cash ON Foy's shoulder.
The latter, smarting from the prick
and enraged beyond measure, came on
aHin cursing, his chin set forward
from his neck and fleck of foam on
his lips.
Armand had changed his tactics. He
still had the appearance of looseness
and lack of close defense; but, strange
ly enough, Foy's point though welded
by the redoubtable swordsman that he
was, had not so much as slit rufIle of
his shirt. He was untouched, immacu-
late, careless and debonair
Now he became OF sudden winged.
He turned, circled. was here and there
with the rapidlty Of an insect. The
fight turned this way and that, crushed
the bushes, was all over the ground.
There was a maze Of pricking, whirl
ing arrows of sulphur colored flame in
the moonlight. Foy's breath was com
ing hoarsely in his throat like that of a
strangled dog. Armand began to laugh
outright as he thrust and parted.
The lieutenant wedged an exclama-
ton amid the flick and scrape of steel.
Foy's face was become a welter of