The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-09-30
1.-THE WILD GEESE
l.. BY Stanley j. Weyman.1 !


| folding his afsis with a superior air,
leaned frowning against the wall.
.Parbleu,' said Lemoine as they rest
ed. cit is a pity. The wrist is excel
lent, sare. But the pointing finger Ii
II do my best" the colonel answered.
with cheerful resignation. shall we
engage again."
al your pleasure"
The F~renchman's eye no longer twin
kled: his gallantry was on it's mettle.
He was grave n severe, fixing his
gaze on the colonel's attack, and re-
maining blind to the mods and shrugs
OF his patrons in the background. Again
he touched the colonel, and, alas,
Z again, with an ease he could not mask.
Colonel John, a little breathed, and
perhaps a little chagrined also, dropped
his point. Some one cougheA, and an
other Uttered.
II think he will iced another lesson
or two" Payton remarked, loudly
enough for all to hear.
The man whom he addressed made
an inaudible answer. The colonel
turne dtoward them.
"And--a new hand Payton added in
the same tone. :
Even for his henchmen the remark
was almost too much. But the colonel,
strange TO say, seemed to find Nothing
offensive In 1t, On the contrary. he
replied to it.
t'That was precisely he said. what
I thought when this"-he Indicated his
maimed hand-"happened to me. And
/ did my best to procure one"
did you succeed2" Payton retorted
in al insolent tone.
ITO some extent the colonel replied,
In the most matter-of4fact manner.
And he transferred the foil to his left
hand.
GIVE you four to one" Payton re-
joined, "Lemoine hits youstwice before
you hit him once"
Colonel John had anticipated some of
the things that had happened, But he
had not foreseen this. He was quick to
see the use to which he might put It,
and 1t was only for an instant that he
hesitated. Then -Four to one 2" he re-
peated.
Five, IL you like" Payton sneered.
"n you will wager" the colonel said
slowly, "h you Will wager the gray
mare you were riding this morning.
Payton uttered an angry oath. what
do o meanT' he said, f.
Against 10 guineas," Colonel John
continued carelessly, bending the foil
against the floor and letting II spring
to Its length again, Il will make that
wager"
Payton scowled at him. He was
aware OF h others interest in the
mare and suspected that he had come
to town to recover her. And caution
would have had him refuse the snare.
But nia toadies were bout him, he had
long ruled the roost, to retreat went
against tile grain; while TO suppose
that the mar had the least chance
against Lemoine was absurd. Yet he
hesitated. What do you know about
the mare" he said, coarsely.
Il have seen her. But of course, lie
you are afraid to wager her, sir,
Payton answered to the spur Bah!
Afraid?" he cried contemptuously.
Done with you'll"
THAT is settled" the colonel replied.
II am at your service" he continued,
turning to the maitre d'armes. =, II.
trust" indicating hat he was going to
fence with his left hand, that tris will
not embarrass your
mo! But ii Is interesting, ware in
teresting," the Frenchman replied. "I
have encountered les gauchers before,
He did not finish the sentence, but.
saluting, he assumed an attitude q lit
tie more wary than usual. The foils
felt n another, and "Oh, va vail" he
muttered. 4 understand the drolll"
For haIf q minute or so the faces of
M onlookers reflected only q mild sur
prise, mingled with curiosity. But the
fencers had not made more than half
a dozen serious passes before his was
changed, before one face grew longer
and another more intent. Al man who
was no fencer, and therefore no Judge,
spoke. A fierce oath silenced him. An
other murmured an exclamation under
his breath. Payton's face became
slowly a dull red. AT length Hal
cried one, drawing in his breath. And
ne was right, The maitre d'armes but,
ton, sliding under the colonel'sy blade,
had touched his opponent. At once Lee
moline sprang back out OF danger, the
two points dropped, the two fencers
stood back to take breath.
For a few seconds the coloneI's cha
grin was plain. Then he conquered the
feeling and smiled. II fear you are too
strong for r1e he said.
Mot at ALL the Frenchman made
answer Not at all! It was fortune,
sare. / know not what you were with
your right hand, but you are with the
left ware strong, OF tho first force. 1t
Is certain"
Payton, an expert, had been among
the earliest to discern the coloneTs
skill. With a sudden sinking of the
heart he had foreseen the figure he
would cut IL Lemoine were worsted: he
had endured a moment Of great, fear.
But at this success he choked down his
\ apprehension. One more hit, one more
success on Lemoine's part, and he had
won the wager! But he could no long
er bear himself ~carelessly. While he
faitered, seeking for a gibe and finding
none, the two contestants had crossed
their foils again. Their tense features.
their wary movemer-s, made 1t clear
that they played for a victory Of which
neither was confident.
Apart from the wager.sst was clear
that II Lemoine had not met his match,
the captain had; n doubtless many
in h room on whose toes Payton had
trodden felt secret joy, pleased that the
bully OF the regiment was like to meet
with a reverse and a master.
whatever their Thoughts, a quick
rally riveted all eyes on the ifencsrs.
For a moment thrust and parry fol-
lowed n another so rapidly that the
unframed gaze could not distinguish
them or trace the play. The spectators
held their breath, expecting a hit with
each second. But the rally died away
again, neither OF the players had got
through the others guard, and now
they fell to 1t more slowly, the colonel,
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