Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-08-10

field some so PAGES distance from
their carriages, Tonti's driver accom-
panying them to render any assist
ance needed in removing their outer
garments, while the other remained
| with the horses. The preliminaries
being arranged, the two men faced
each other.
"En garde!" cried the Comte de
Miron between his teeth.
'tEn garde!" came from Tonti in
calm and measured tones.
The swords touched, crossed, and the
| fight was on. Both learned in few
| moments that neither had a weak OPP
ponent before him. Each tried the
other with all the commoner thrusts
| only to find him ready with a parry.
| At last Tonti. in order to tire his an
| tagonist and thus make it easier when
he next attacked him, maintained the
defensive only. His thoughts wan
| dered away from the scene before him
and he seemed to stand in the same
room he had visited yesterday, gazing
upon the face that he realized now
| that he loved. Only, instead of her
eyes following the printed pages of
book, they looked into his own with
a friendly gaze. But as he looked
they suddenly changed and a CLEAN
of terror and horror filled them, as
| though they saw terrible sight, and
her hand was raised as though in
| warning.
At this instant the Comte de Miron
| pretended to slip, and Tonti involun-
tarily raised his sword-point to enable
him to recover his footing The look
of terror in the face of the one he
| loved brought him suddenly back to
| full realization of his surroundings.
| But it was too late. The comte, count
| ing upon the honor and generosity cf
| his foe when he perceived his mis-
| step, and seeing the point of Tonti's
sword raised, made a sudden lunge,
| twist and upward movement, and
| Tonti's sword was hurled from his
| hand and lighted point downward in
| the earth just outside his reach Then
| Tonti realized his danger, for his foe,
with unrepressed hatred cleaning in
! his eye, made for him as he stood un-
| armed and defenseless before him. 1t
was but a seconds duration, but
Tontis thought flew back to the street
where they had met and he heard
again the voice he loved cautioning
him against the treachery of the man
| before him. He saw the loved eyes
| culver, yet gaze at him admiringly as
he met his death bravely and without
flinching. Fully realizing the impos-
sibility of escaping assassination, he
resolved not to shrink before his
| treacherous foe, so with look of con-
tempt in his eye and the words For
| you, my Rose" in his heart he awaited
| the impact of the deadly weapon.
just as the end of his enemy's sword
| was about to enter his breast, the
clicking of other steel was heard and
the point was struck up harmlessly
in the air. Tonti's driver who had
stood very near during the combat,
seeing his plight, had suddenly dropped
| the cloaks he was holding, and, draw
ing a sword from the depths of the
| great-coat in which he was muffied,
| had parried the blow. "Wretch." he
said contemptuously, to the Comte de
| Mlron. TOnt with spring recovered
his sword and returned to the attack
Before, he had had but little heart in
the battle, meaning only to inflict some
trifiing wound, knowing that were he4
involved in any mortal combat the
chances would be that Colbert would
seize that as a preteXt for OBTAINING
him, despite the kings protection, and
La Sale would have to sail without
him. But now, blinded by the fury
aroused by the vile trick of his oppo-
rent, he attacked him with all his
skill and strength.
Before | count ten, M. le Compile"
he said, slowly, you shall die;" and
beginning to count each stroke, he
pressed his antagonist hard, reserving
half-forgotten trick of the sword
learned in Italy, for the final The
Comte de Miron responded with equal
fury of attack and defense. but as he
heard Tonti count so confidently and
saw the smile of triumph on his face
he weakened and the sacrilegious
charm he wore seemed to burn a bright
red spot in his chest as sign to Tonti
where to strike.
"One!"
A spark flew between the blades.
"Two!"
The sword play became more furi-
Gus.
"Three!"
The combatants shifted their posi-
tions continuously.
"Four!"
The breathing of the Comte de Miron
grew shorter and more rapid
"Five!"
His thrusts became wilder and his
face flushed, in strong contrast with
the coolness and precision of his op-
ponent.
Six"
A terrible oath escaped his lips as
Tonti calmly turned aside a quick