Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-12-22

| back in my chair and gave myself UP to
the enjoyment Of my cigar.
That's better" said the robber, as he
noticed my resignation. How many
| members I'm the club?" he queried.
About seventy" / replied.
do you do nothing but fencing?" he
asked.
| practically: some handball and box
ing but fencing is our chief work"
What SCHOOL," he questioned
looked at him sharply. What did this
robber know about fencing and its diff
| ferent schools?
French" l answered. "why?"
Merely curiosity" he replied. French
master?"
yes. Bearnac" And then, becom-
ing interested, l sald Know anything
about fencing?'
"A little" he said. But my instruc-
ton was in the German and Italian
| schools"
Indeed" l retorted with an attempt
at popularity. II knew burglars were sup
posed to be acquainted with some fence,
but not necessarily with fencing"
Accountable punt he grunted. How
ever, 1t shows you are waking up. 50 I'll
forgive 1t. You fence, ! presume?'
l nodded and then with pardonable
pride pointed to the club champion
| ship cup, sitting on a pedestal near him,
with my name engraved on the bowl for
said.
Indeed" he replied. with interest.
Burton. regret" he added, that the
ethics OF my profession prevent my Civ
ing you my name. You wouldn't be-
lieve II the true one, anyway"
And then we drifted into a discussion
OF fencing and OF its various schools;
OF the development OF fencing in America;
and gradually point by point, saw that
this must be man Of no mean attain
ments. His language proclaimed him
educated; his manners, well bred. And
when our conversation disclosed the fact
that he knew Heidelberg and Berlin, Paris
ana London. and many other European
cities, as well as l knew B was
amazed. made a shrewd guess to my
self that he had been at one time a stu
dent at some German university, and
casually ventured the question: Ever see
this schAger work OF the German CORPS
students?'
Yes" he answered, but II is rough
and-tumble butchery. not fencing / once
- He stopped with a shrug but
had learned that my surmise was correct.
He chilled after that, suspecting me
OF purpose to draw him out, but gradual
ly thawed again. And as we talked, /
marveled at finding such a man in such
an occupation. His mask hid his eyes
and the upper part Of his face, but his
mouth. chin and jaws were strong and
clean-cut-no signs Of weakness or de-
generacy there; the neat, well fitting
clothes the carefully kept hands-the
entire finish" proclaimed the gentleman
his slight accent the foreigner could
only wonder what turn Of the wheel OF
fortune had thrown this man so low, but
much as l longed to know ! dared not
question him. Was Il family troubles a
love affair, or only a fierce, ungovernable
desire for the excitement and risk he could
N oil A.
latter. for finally by some mischance, the
tax drifted back to fencing. and ! spoke
OF the bayonet
The bayonet!' he sneered. why, it's
Mt only for a camp tool'
warmed at once. give me a bayonet
on good stout musket," / said, "and
Ill defend myself against any amateur
swordsman with a saber And more than
that added. holly. as saw him shrug
his shoulders, IN defeat him. I've never
had chance to prove my statement" /
went on. because in fencing one is
hampered by heavy jackets and has no
chance to show his skill But given a
free arm and no impediments and / main
tain the bayonet is the better"
lie reused at once. and glared at me
eagerly, then quietly reached into his
pocket, drew out a roll OF bills. and tossed
them over upon my involuntary contribu-
ZION. There's about five hundred dol
take saber against your bayonet tonight
and cut you into ribbons. Are you game?'
Here? No Jackets or masks?" / cried,
in establishment
Not even glove" he replied. stern
~. Come! what do you say? II you
win, YOU take the stakes, and go. You
need not fear he added. quickly ITS
honest money and my own" And then.
as / glanced at the revolver still in his
hand and his eye followed mine, he said:
This gun TO stay with the stakes and all
go to the winner"
] caught my breath with a quick in
drawn gasp. Here was a nice result OF
my hot-headed boasting! / was drawn
into trap, and that OF my own making.
from which / saw no way of escape For
there was a look about the man that
BODIED i'll for me II l refused Had the
cat tired playing with the mouse? /
thought Of the sinister look on his face
when he told me that his other victims
had Jared worse than J. And then l was
deep In the grip of my mania. The chance
to try my skill with my pet weapon
against good swordsman-for his con-
Versation had shown me by the very name
OF his instructors that he was skilled
these men took none but brilliant pupils
was great temptation.
AS l sat there weighing the proposition,
the noises outside seemed to come to me
from distance, and my ears rang as
those OF drowning man. The whir OF
the trolley cars whizzing by under the
windows, the puff pufr'' OF the storm
racked automobile. the creaking OF the
ice-laden telephone wires, the low hiss
OF the steam radiator back OF me-au |
these sounds Of products OF the nineteenth
century faded away, and I slipped back
TO the middle ages; back to the time when |
mems swords were the law, when one |
fought hand to hand to protect his honor |
or his property, and the duel was an /
everyday occurrence And there on the 4
table cleaned my gold! 1 was to fight |
Tor my property and perhaps for my life. |
And then, as 1 realized 1 had made nv |
own decision, all doubt seemed to slim
away and leave my brain cold and clear. |
lie caught my decision before 1 had |
need to speak, and said: "Goodi Come |
out IN the Sale d, Armes." AS / stepped |
out and turned on the lights, 1 saw him
lay his revolver with the money on the
table He was a true sportsman. then
and a man! '''S'''
The fencing hall was long and narrow
Down each side ran racks OF sabers
Tolls rapiers, bayonets and broadswords
whiie at the end hung masks, gloves and
jackets Down the centre ran the chaIked-
on space where formal bouts were con-
Quoted. On one side windows gave light
from an area, and not thirty feet across
a dance was in progress in the next build
ing on the floor below ours. / could see
through the brilliantly lighted windows
as the strains OF music fioated softly, ~ /