The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-07-27

Judging that single-handed victory
over Frenchman would enormously
increase his reputation, as well as his
influence over his followers, he sent
a message into our camp saying that
he defied and cursed us, and daring
us to send chief to fight him with
the sword between the two armies.
Our commander received the mes
senger, told him that we would accept
the challenge and send an officer to
meet the prophet, and that we would
show his followers how little they
could rely upon their leaders prom
ises.
After the messenger had gone, the
colonel called the officers together to
select a champion for our cause. All
of us were anxious to volunteer, but,
lutely necessary for us to send our
best man, for defeat at the hands of
the fanatical prophet would immense
ly lower the prestige of our arms,
while victory might break the back
bone of the rebellion at once. AS
was even then universally acknowl-
edged to be the best swordsman in
the regiment, the selection naturally
fell upon me, and I was formally as
signed to uphold the honor of the
French arms-a decision, my dear
Roget, which you may well believe at
forded me the greatest pleasure.
1T was just before shutdown when
stepped out from behind the shelter
OF our guns and advanced towards the
enemys lines to meet their redoubt-
able champion. was clad in the uni
! form of my rank and carried my
drawn sword in my hand, having dis
carded my scabbard SO as to avoid the
risk OF accidentally tripping over it
in the coming encounter. My weapon,
the regulation cavalry sabre, was a
good one and l knew that 1t would not
play me false.
Midway between the two forces my
savage adversary awaited me, and as
l advanced towards him his tall spare
figure standing outlined against the
red disk Of the setting sun was truly
an awe-inspiring spectacle. He was
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his right hand his famous scimeter,
while his left gripped a small circular
buckler of hippopotamus hide. A great
silence had fallen over both forces
and, as l walked briskly over the heat
ed sands of the desert, it seemed to
me that l had never known the air to
be so still.
within a dozen PAGES Of my adver
sary l halted. Then for a few mo-
ments neither of us moved, but each
subjected the other to the keenest
scrutiny, seeking to discover some
weak point of which he might take
advantage.
II saw at once that the possession
of the buckler gave the Algerian ar
enormous advantage over me, since II
enabled him to both cut and parry al
the same time, while l had to rely
upon the sword itself for both attach
and defense
For what seemed minutes we stood
gazing intently at each other; ant
then with wild cry of Allah! thu
Algerian raised his glittering blade
alOft and rushed upon me.
with my sword in tierce l stoot
. my ground and let him come.
Down came his blade with 1
vicious cut for my right shoulder vi
sprang my sword and met the blow
back went my point for his breast
only to be put aside by his buckle
, while he cut again, this time for m,
head. l successfully parted his hea'
cut, and, seeing that it had failed, h
: sprang quickly back in time to avoi'
- my riposte. For few seconds neithe
of us moved, except that l shifted m
:, ground bit so as to get the sun o.
my left, instead of in front of me a
= it had been at first. Then with ar
= other shout he charged me agar
:. "And SO the fight went on, until on
Il breath came in hoarse quick gasp
4 and the Precipitation streamed dow
q our faces, well-nigh binding us
u "The red sun had by this time sun
9 below the horizon, but still we col
tinued to struggle, sometimes out {
h distance and sometimes locked s
d close together in corps-a-corps ths
% each could feel the others hot breat
r. on his cheek.
II However, it is evident that such
t, combat could not go on forever, an
le at last l determined to risk a ruse-
At a trick which was sometimes en-
At ployed successfully by the rapie
m men of the sixteenth century.
a. Being at the time somewhat out
distance, with Mohammed watchin
Mt me as cat does. mouse, l advance
I'D my right leg more than had previou
ID ly done, pretending at the same tin
IT. to overbalance myself The proph
le was quick to see the opening and
take advantage of 1t. With a t.
ed umphant cry he sprang forward al
ad delivered terrific cut against the
or side of my exposed leg.
ed ut was fatal error. AS he cut,
ly slipped the leg back out of dang
lie and, at the same time bending n
7