The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-11-07
A Singular Duel.



Some years ago when I was IN New
Orleans in order 10 kill time dropped
into fencing academy opposite the
hotel where l stopped. l 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. st the end OF .
each lesson he would send his pupils /
foil spinning high in the air, thus IN
timating that the lesson was finished.
One evening, while in lis academy. /
as l was about leaving he asked me +
If | would like 10 see 4 spirited con-
test with the foils between two ex-
perts. When l said / would he told /
me- to be on hand at in the morning. /
giving as a reason for the early hour
that the contestants did not care to I
/ fence before a crowd. When l en-. /
tered, the hall a little before the hour I
appointed I saw the principals emergl
/ from dressing room attired in fenc- I
/ ing costume and each wearing a wire +
/ mask. The fencing master turned TO /
me and said:
In contests between strong men
1 sometimes the button win be broken
of one OF the foils. l wish you TO look
at these weapons that you may be a
witness that they are in good condi-
ton at the start"
l examined the folls and found them
perfect He handed them to the prin-
cipals, and the contest began. 1 confess
l was disappointed. Neither seemed to
take much interest in the struggle, and
it was an Indifferent performance. l
wondered why I 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 l
turned my eyes in his direction. When
1 turned them back to the fencers 1
saw that they had suspended the con
test. One OF them was standing in
position; the other was just stepping
into position. Somehow I got the idea
that they had both stepped away from
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 adj
versary. 1t was not long before l saw
blood oozing from the sword arm of
one of the 'fencers. 1 looked at the
fencing master, supposing he would
call a halt Certainly, as he had fear
ed, button had been broken off foil.
He could not but see the blood, but he
paid no attention to 1t. Presently more
blood spurted, this time from the Shout
der Of the other fencer, and the two
were bleeding profusely.
Whatever had been the intent at the
beginning, I 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 brillinncy. Presently he
who was wounded in the shoulder re
ceived another wound in the side This
time the fencing master started to in
terfere, but the wounded man waved
him away, and the fighting went on.
l 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
I 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 q device to
S draw my attention while the foils were
' changed While they were crossed and
e for a moment at rest 1 could see that
/ there was no button on either, but a
sharp point 1t looked as If the affair
were q veritable duel.
now began to notice the personnel
of the contestants. They both appear
ed to be gentlemen. One was tall and
slender. with fair hair and eyes; the
other short and thick and very dark
d the latter evidently ten years older
than the former. But the short man
. was the better fencer. besides being
n wiry, and he was evidently firing the
other out l was looking for him al
any moment to finish his adversary
= when suddenly the door few open and
J, a young woman, evidently a lady OF
y high degree rushed in and up to the
s fencers, where she stood glarlng at the
l. short brunette, then turning a re
g proachful glance on his younger ad
e versary.
+ Paul" she gasped, you're a fool
i And as for you, Mr.. lie Gro, there /:
no reason whatever for you to have
8 any contest with any man about me
: You thought you had outwitted mt
( and the police in bringing your victim
to 4 fencing academy. NJ. Renard," t
;, the fencing master, II am astonisheC
a that under cover Of teaching your ar
j. you should permit your place to b.
IS used for murder Yes. murderl Thu
h. man lie Gro, l am told, was formerl.
# one of the best fencers in Paris. Should
'e 1 reveal this outrage you would b,
: obliged to leave the city. Gentlemen
!. give me your weapons"
= They were handed TO her. She ex