The La Jara chronicle., 1906-05-18

this thrust. I was gritting my teeth.
hardly able to keep myself Wlthli
bounds. Yet L would hear MN 10 the
end.
Il will tell you briefly, that you may
report the facts to His Majesty. AS
you know, Latour was to be shot az
sunrise yesterday morning. we declueu
TO wait day, hoping to extract IRON
him valuable Information. MademoiSelle
and her party, in three carriages, lelt
yesterday morning before dawn. La
tour, who was confined in one of the
cellars. must have bribed one OF the
servants. and somehow slipped past the
guard and entered the forward Carriage
where he hid beneath a bundle of rugs
The guard discovered at breakfast time
that Latour was gone, but, IN rear oi ~,
punishment, omitted to report unti'
this morning, giving the spy twenty
four hours in which to get away. un-
fortunately for your friends. mademoi-
selle decided to stop en- route for VISIT
with an acquaintance, and we mad no
difficulty in overtaking them. or course
the spy is gone; but we drew a con-
frssion from the servants, and had the
extreme pleasure of shooting them IN
stead of I.atour. Those are the iacts'
and you will pardon my suggestion thttt
you return Immediately and commuhl-
cate them to the Emperor"
Il return at my own pleasure.
replied. My orders do not come from
you. l request you to show me 10
Mademoiselle Lagunay.'
l really believe that Griesman under
rated me as, fighter. How should ne
have known my training?
So, without fear, and, as a cat uai- -
lies with a mouse. thinking to give me
another playful bite, he ascended TO the
last degree of insult.
&. Il have told you that mademoiselle Is
nv prisoner. AS such she may not see
10. a1
such she does not wish to see you
Why, monsieur, it was but an hour ago
that she sat upon my lap, all Smiles
and bushes and
l sprang at him with an oath. My
sword came from its scabbard with an
angry hiss. Had l followed my hrst
impulse his craven skull had been split
that instant. But l merely smacked
his face with the fiat of the blade: say
1t again, If you dare. You lie, dog
Colonel had his sabre in the air when
his orderly rushed between us. Re-
member the Emperor's orders. ne
cried. You will lose your commission.
Let him go. He is helpless.
But Griesman, traitor though ne
proved to be, was no coward. Thor
oughly enraged by my challenge ne
threw the man aside and came at me
with all his two hundred POUNDS
weight. l stepped back little to get
room, ana caught ms piiue oii H's
guard. He swore beneath his breath
and struck again with terrific forco.
Again l stopped him. ,,,
"A little less Drawn and more skin.
baby" | said, derisively. You will be
weared.'
we carried the regulation German
cavalry sabre, rather heavy and slightly
curved 1t was built on the American
model. and as l met his savage lunSes
I began to feel at home. fell nat
urally into the old position of defense.
The muscles of wrist and arm came
easily into play. In memory l saw the
great tan-bark circle Of the academy
where we had our daily drills. J. was
again in the ring, defending my tue OF
the best swordsman Of the class. And
so, without tremor or apprehension.
stood there and fought. for Aimee
sake and for my own life, parryinE his
mighty strokes with little dithculty'
though the shock as | caught his heavy
blade told on my arm. so long unused
TO sword play. l made no effort to
strike. So swift was his attack and so
vicious that l preferred the defensive,
well knowing that eventually he would
tire At intervals l taunted him. using
all the German terms Of scorn and con-
tumely that 1 could call to mind. His
sweat formed on his brow and rolled
down his cheeks. His eyes protruded,
his mouth opened, his breath came
faster We moved around the room.
advancing, retreating, sidestepplns'
neither obtaining any advantage
though 1 was certain that my play was
superior to his.
The innkeeper fled in terror at the
first clash, and we had the big room to
ourselves. The orderly stood to one
side, encouraging his Colonel Now
and then we rested momentarily'