The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-10-22
A Singular Duel.


lulo fencing icdsttHiA Opposite TIE
hotel where | stopped. I am fond Of
all the arts of self defense and would
sit by the hour during the afternoon
and evening watching the fencing mas
ter give instruction. At the end of
each lesson he would send his pupil
foil spinning high in the air, thus in
timatin;. that the lesson was finished.
One evening while in his academy,
as | was about leaving he asked me
ii | would like to see Il spirited CON
test with the fois between two eX-
perts When | said would he told
me to he on hand at { i'll the morning,
giving IS Il reason for the early hour
that the contestants did not care to
fence before crowd. When | en-
tered the hall Il little before the hour
from a dressing room attred in feuc-
ing costume and each wearing Il wire
mask The fencing master turned to
ME and said:
In contests between strong men
sometimes the button will he broken
at these weapons that you may he Il
witness that they are in good condi-
ton at the start
| examined the foils and found them
perfect. He handed them to the prin-
cipals, and the contest began. | confess
take much interest in the struggle. and
it was an Indifferent performance. l
wondered why | had been invited to
witness it. Meanwhile the fencing
master went to another part of the
room, where suddenly he dropped
something which made a clatter, and
turned my eyes in his direction. When
l turned them back to the fencers |
saw that they had suspended the coli
test. One of them was standing in
position; the other was just stepping
into position. Somehow l got the idea
their places.
When the fencing recommended each
man threw himself into his work as if
his life depended upon his efforts. Each
was supremacy careful of his guard
and each watchful for some opening
through which he might pierce his ad-
versary. It was not long before | saw
blood OoZing from the sword arm of
one of the fencers. | looked at the
fencing master. surprising he would
call halt Certainly, as he had fear
ed, button had been broken off foil.
II Int hn III hn
paid no attention to it. Presently more
blood spurted, this time from the shou!
der of the other fencer, and the two
were bleeding profusely.
Whatever had been the intent at the
beginning, l was sure that now the
men were fighting for their lives. They
were both skilled with the foil, and the
exhibition, as promised, had become
one of great brilliancy. Presently he
who was wounded in the shoulder re
ceived another wound in the side. This
time the fencing master started to i'll
terfere, but the wounded man waved
him away, and the fighting went on.
| concentrated my vision to discover
the condition of the foilS. Had both
buttons been broken? Impossible,
There was some trickery, some method
Of making the weapons effective. Then
l remembered the noise made by the
fencing master just before the change
had come in the character of the con
test, and it suddenly dawned upon me
that that movement was il device to
draw my attention while the foiIs We're
changed. While they We're crossed and
for a moment at rest l could see that
there was no button on either, but a
sharp point 1t looked as if the affair
were veritable duel
l now began to notice the personnel
of the contestants. They both appear
ed to be gentlemen. One was tall AMI
slender, with fair hair and eyes; the
other short and thick and very dark.
the latter evidently ten years older
than the former. But the short man
was the better fencer. besides being
wiry, and he was evidently firing the
other out. I was looking for him at
any moment to finish his adversary
when suddenly the door flew open and
a young woman. evidently a lady of
high degree, rushed in and up to the
fencers, where she stood glaring at the
short brunette, then turning re
proachful glance ON his younger adj
versary.
paul." she gasped, you're fool
And as for you, Mr.. LIE Gro, there is
no reason whatever for you to have
any contest with any man about me.
You thought you had outwitted me
and the police in bringing your victim
to fencing academy. NJ. Renard," to
the fencing master, Il am astonished
that under cover of teaching your art
you should permit your place to be
used for murder! Yes, murder. This
man LIE Gro, 1 am told, was formerly
one of the best fencers in Paris. Should
l reveal this outrage you would be
obliged to leave the city. Gentlemen,
give me your weapons"
They were handed to her. She ex-
amined their points and threw them
on the floor. Then, putting her arm
his whom she called Paul, she