The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-05-09

/ had been universally acclaimed.
And now a word In apology for my
brutality. Il seemed 10 me Nbao-
lutoly necessary that l must Kill
thiA Frenehmhn. Ia the fret place,
lt was duty ] felt that I owed my
country To clip his capacity FOR
working public H. In tho second.
ha money was undoubtedly Ia my
possession. aud only after his death
| could 1 feel perfectly at ease in
spending H. for he vas evidently a
creature Of Initiate resource and
daring. and he had reason enough
% work hard for my downfall Had
l merely slapped hla face be might
have refused 70 fight me and bis re-
fusal have been upheld by the
others while my innocence or guilt
remained Ia doubt Il therefore
became needful 70 adopt course
sufficiently provoking 10 force even
a pig 70 fight
ana bound % confess the French
man bore himself calamity enough.
he wiped hts face with a daisty lace
mouch0fr. Wilhelm presently threw.
with magnificent dindain. into the
blazing fire His cheeks had grown
a queer nah-white color. like 70 the
palior of a three-day corpse. but.
b. Saint John. his eyes were hotter
and fiercer than live Goals. lie
frunted tho prince with horrible
/ c0mpusure and forced out words be-
tween rlouehed teeth BY sheer ply
steal effort.
Your hiEhnesa.' he mutiefed In
a whisper 80 low but none but ny
ears heard. has been good enough
10 accept certain gifts from me-"
/ prieked up my cara at this and
i recognized tho cause OF the
/ princes compliance 20 the mar
qula. 7 beg one favor In return.
Name Il. !" mutlefcd the prince.
That your royal hlghncsa will
coudeaernd % witness 4 fencing
match which ! have tho honor TO
propose should taks place immcdi-
ately batweon myself aud tails"
this face went suddenly purplel
"thla gentleman"
Tho prince turned red with vera
ton. and perhaps alarm.
! went 20 his assistance. "Y0u
see your hiEhurHs.H cried gayiy.
we each fancy our own style Of
awordmanahip. and the only meth
% open To find the master g. a
match. vita buttons On the folls. q
course
@of course" granted the mar
quia
Everybody acclaimed thia psopos-
al, and the prince. though much
against hts will. presently agreed.
only Htrcnnouaiy insisting that the
buttons should be firmly placed.
In two minutes Ne were ready
and the swords crossed. Then \
strange thing happened The mar
qula' foot tfipped and hc fell % the
/ ground. AH " such accidents were
Infectious I followed suit and when
We arose each Of our blades bad
klltteriug points.
The buttons are Off Stop"
cried the prince. anEriig.
stared ~ ms blade. the marquis
a. his.
Your hlKhneaa iassurriY mlatak-
en-. ventuncd humbiF.
4 HAHAAHAHH ~ HHHt'ta tttFa ma e IlEH-
The prince appealed 90 the 9th
era. the foils ere bare" be cried.
Ono and all assured hlm Of hla
mistake. and presently. with n soul
| comforting curse. he sank back IN
his chair and shaded bis eyes with
hia hand. The devil take you aili.'
be groNled.
For the first time IN my life I
paradcd before a sympathetic au-
| dieuCc. Though no word Ia nv
favor had been spoken / felt IL Ia
my bones. and ] knew thar every
man there ardenfly desired mo to
beat the Frenchman. The feeling
gave me additional strength. conf
denec and eompoaure Hitherto
had Invariably fought IN the pres
euce Of these who would have vel
coined my defeat with thankful
hearts. and the knowledge OF that
disposition had ever nerved me to
recklnasngss irreronrfinhlr with a
display ~ perfect skill but now I
was ne my best ! determined to
Xiii ny opponent. and with an the
assurance Of destiny I marked the
spot on bis shirt front whore my
blade should enter 10 search HIS
heart The marquis was fine ex-
ponent 81 one style ~ fence aud one
style only-that ~ The italian
school In that admit he was
near perfect, But I had mastered
all schools and styles. and very
soon he perceived that his life was
az my mercy.
/ | paid him many compliments as
/ we proceeded. but he never relaxed
, from a fixed. dog-like grin. Ills
, blade once slipped past my head
only n swerve saved me. I pierced
, the lobe Of his left ear by way OF
. return. His blade passed between
. my left arm and my body. in ex-
/ change I cut his lower lip In two.
, One thing, however. could not fail
/ TO notice IN his fence. He left his
! breast entirely unprotected. suH-
! pceting "A ruao | feinted In such a
, manner as TO lead. him 20 expect a
fatal thrust lie actually courted
+ the disaster. for throwing up his
I sword he made no counter thrust.
} ] was COMPOUNDED With surprise. for
: no tyru could have been % foolish
/ ! reasoned az I played with him.
b and presently hazardod q guess To