Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-03-09

!. 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 ana down, 80 that their meet
Ings, following one another in n well
nigh continuous stroke. sent EARRING
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-
flle against the ground; but he did not
let even that unsettle his fencing gaze,
which followed the sunken and dusky
eyes Of his adversary. 4 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 eubit to his stature
and waver strangely in the soft light.
Behind him, low against the sky,
wide winged owl shot noiselessiy
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 beauti-
full in this duality is the supreme cour-
age with which the sanity spirit at.
tacks the worldly and so often hero
1cally 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
nton 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. A 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 mine. l will dis
arm him. Step by step he retreated,
playing erratically to make an opening
tor trick he meant to use
It was slngularly loose play, a sort
Of wavering, shifty, incomprehensible
show Of carelessness that caused Ham,
tlton 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'm
possible, miraculously so, and every
plan Of attack dissolved into futility
In the most maddening way.
"Priest. devil or ghost" ragged Ham
tlton, with froth gathering around
his mouth. I'm kill you, Or
He made lunge when his adversary
left an opening which appeared abso-
lutely beyond defense. 1t was a quick,
dexterous, vicious thrust. The blade
leaped toward Father Berets 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 a
disconcerting thing for him, but he
rallied instantly and sprang aside, TAX
ing a 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
steadiness. the highest product of abso-
iute1y 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 swordsman Of the best school
calling upon him for all the skill and
strength and cunning that he could
command. Again the sanity element
was near being thrown aside by the
worldly In the old mans breast. Alice
lying there seemed mutely demanding
that he avenge her. A riotous some.
thing In his blood clamored for a
quick and certain act In this drama by
moonlight, a tragic close by stroke
Of terrible yet perfectly fitting justice.
There was but the space Of breath
tor the conflict in the priests heart
yet during that little time he reasoned
the case and quoted Scripture to him.
self.
"Domine, percutimus in gladio?'
rang through his mind. c'Lord, shall
we smite with the sword?'O
Hamilton seemed to make answer ia
this with dazzling display of skill
The rapiers sang a strange song above
the sleeping girl, lullaby with corus.
cations OF death in every keen note.
Hamilton pressed, nay rushed, the
light with a weight and at a pace
which could not last, but Father Bere1
withstood him so firmly that he mad.
no farther Roadway. He even los,
some ground moment later.
You Jesuite hypocrite!" he snarled
"You lowest Of vile brotherhood o.
liars!' -
Then he rushed again, making &
magnificent show Of strength, quick
ness and accuracy. The SPARKS hisseC
and cracked from the rasping and
ringing blades.