The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1910-10-29
"My lore WINS the snme. My inter
eats demanded other things

got down to the bottom Facts. THIS
that you have done IL European. not
American. Over here you princes of
the blood are In certain matters very
sensitive. You cannot bear that nn-
other should tread on your arisiW'rutic
toes-nOt that you cannot endure The
pain. but that within those Toes runs
the blood of Fabian. But when you
come to America and ARE kindly re.eiv
ed you do not consider that the heart
Of ranchman's daughter IL OF any
moment compared with the within or
the interest of prince of Italy"
~ have expressed my sincere re-
grets."
"Your regrets will not wipe out the
stain put upon an American girl any
more than regrets would restore II
slight done YOU had one of your coun-
trymen robbed you Of II wife. You
know how that injury would he nveng-
ed"
~ do
eat the point Of the sword. And IT
is at the point OF the sword that your
slight to the ranch girl must be atoned
for girls heart is as sacred as II
princes honor. She is not to be robbed
of 1t any more than the prince Is to
be robbed of his wife. Were we In my
country. instend OF yours, you and |
could fan the hammer in each other s.
face. we could throw the lartat. the
one who won to have the privilege Of
knitting the tother. Those are bnrh-
rous ways. not fit for IL prince of the
blood. Your European ways are far
more attractive. There is romance In
the mir In Italy. When the Itnlinn
comes to our wild western country his
sentiment lies dormant and he consid :
crs only his interest. Then heart Is
nothing to him. A cowboys shooting
match A. abhorrent. But here in his
land of art. poetry. music. where he
Is reminded by works that have endur-
ed for centuries of the loneliness Of a
Marcus Aurelius and the shame OF II
Nero. 1t IL well that he should pay the
penalty of his heartlessness nj the
point of a Damascus blade and within
the walls of an emperor's baths"
With the last words she threw back
the wrap that thus far had covered
her and displayed n woman's fencing
costume. In her. left hand she held
two rapiers. Taking one of them by
the blade. she held the hilt toward the
prince.
do not shrink from 1t. my prince.
1t il of gold. And did Fabian ever
shrink from handling sword? Could
there be anything more BETTING n
prince than settling his affairs will,
golden hilted blade. the moonlight
pouring in through breaches In the
walls of the baths of Caracalla?"
Az the prince shrank away Margaret
advanced.
81 will not fight you-a woman-n
woman l have loved. love today. I
cannot. Is there nothing that will ap
pease you? will sign a paper admit
ting my error. will
"You will fight"
BY this time she had forced the han.
die of the sword into his hand. Then
she nut herself in the attitude of II
fencer.
Hold" he cried. "A sword is not
your weapon. Desist and will so to
your home and If must defend my
self. will do so at the point of the
weapon you know so well how to use
the revolver. In Gods name. do not
force me here now to die or take your
life"
"On guard.'
81 will break my engagement. I will
marry YOU"
~ will not break my engagement.
"What do you mean?"
81 am to marry rancher Of New
Mexico. but not till have wiped out
the stain put upon me by prince OF
Italy"
There was something in the last
words as mcrciless as II wave rolling
In on n stormy beach. The prince had
no choice but to die or defend himself.
Two of those gentlemen called car
binieri. the national Italian police. who
20 always in pairs dressed In swallow
tailed coats, cooked hats and swords
hanging by their sides. happened to be
walking along the road that led past
the ruin when they heard sounds OF
the clash of steel. They stopped md
listened. Fancying the noise came
from within the walls. they hurried
there to lind two fencers. the one at
lacking. the other defending himself.
The carbinieri stepped between the
two and demanded their swords.
"What-prince" exclaimed one of
them. "You here fighting ut this time
of night. and without attendants!
at was not premeditated."
"And you" asked the officer Of Mar
garet-"whO are your
IAN American woman"
Gentlemen" said the prince. this
affair must go no further. You know
that his majesty would not wish II
known that man Of my rank was
found fighting with a woman under
such singular circumstances. Besides.
the Iady's name should not be connect