Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-02-05

tinction. Father Beret had seen him
fence with Farnsworth in remarkable
form, touching him at will, and in min
istering to the men in the fort he had
heard them talk of the governors in
comparable skill.
A priest is, in perhaps all cases but
the last out of a thousand, a man of
peace, not to be forced into a fight,
but the exceptional one out of the ten
hundred it is well not to stir up If you
are looking for an easy victim. Ham
ilton was in the habit of considering
every antagonist Immediately conquer
able. His domineering spirit could not
when opposed, reckon with any posi-
bility of disaster. AS he sprang toward
Father Beret there was a mutual rec
ognition and-we speak guardedly-
something that sounded exactly like an
exchange of furious excavations. As
for Father Berets words, they may
have been a mere priestly formula of
objurgation.
The moon was accommodating. With
a beautiful white splendor it entered
a space of cloudless sky, where it seem
ed to slip along the dusky blue surface
among the stars, far over in the west.
Its you, is it?" Hamilton exclaimed
between teeth that almost crushed one
another. You prowling hypocrite!'
Father Beret said something. 1t was
not complimentary, and 1t sounded sui
phurous, If not profane. Remember,
however that priest can scarcely
hope to be better than Peter, and
Peter did actually make the simon
pure remark when hard pressed. AT
all events, Father Beret said something
with vigorous emphasis, and met Ham.
ilton half way.
Both men, stimulated to the finger
tips by a draft Of imperious passion,
fairly plunged to the inevitable con-
fict All, II Alice could have seen her
beautiful weapons cross, If she could
have heard the fine, farreaching clink,
clink, clink. while sparks leaped forth
dazzling even in the moonlight; II she
could have noted the admirable-nay,
the amazing-play as the men, regain
ing GOODNESS to some extent, gathered
their forces and fell cautiously to the
deadly work, 1t would have been
enough to change the cold simmer OF
her face to fash of warm delight.
For she would have understood every
feint, iunge, 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 ar,
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 1t put him on
his best mettle, sent a wave Of super
stition through his brain. He recalled
what Barlow had jocularly said about
the doings of the devil-priest or priest
devil at Roussillon place on that night
when the patrol guard attempted to
take Gaspard Roussillon. Was this
indeed Father Beret that gentle old
man, now before him, or was It an
avsnginE demon from the shadesf
The thought fitted electrically acrssa
his mind, while he dsftly parted,
feinted, iuAged, giving his asYk sntas.
onist an Ne could Dc to nsst the play
Priest Or dsvfl, hs thsusht-hs sars<
not whieh-hs would rsAA hk vtAk
presently. Yet thsrs nnSsssd WIKI HI.
/ a kauxtins ham esas - tsAsvs eve