The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-04-25
THE TRIO.
By CUTH3ERT r. KRAFT
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, l9ll.

| case was an exception. Nevertheless
our trio was broken up, not by another
man, but by woman. She came be-
tween Gerald and George directly, then
! between the two of them and me In
directly.
One evening | got a telephone mes
sage from Gerald asking me to meet
hir and George at the gymnasium at
10 o'clock. He said they We're to have
! a fencing match and wished me TO be
umpire. At that hour we would be
! alone. When got there. instead of
/ finding the two together, Gerald met
me and said George would join us in
a few minutes. Meanwhile Gerald put
on Il mask. took up II foil and amused
himself stnbbing the wall. Presently
George came in | noticed he didn't
look at or say anything to Gerald
but got ready at once for the match
Before taking position they PIT the
tips Of their fols under my nose and
Gerald said
Take notice of these foi!s, Charlie
There was an accident ut the -
Athletic club the other day with foils.
The button OF one was snapped OF
and man got hurt Afterward it
was charged that the man who held
the foil purposely used one without
a button"
Go on | replied The buttons on
these fol!s won't cone OF, III guarln-
tee"
They set TO. ard the way they fem
cd. confess. puzzled me Neither
seemed to be trying TO pink the other
Neither spoke to the other. they
seemed to be fenciag against time.
"Oh. get move on your | said II
don't propose to SIT here watching you
two fellows 20 to S'eep."
Go get re II glass; of wafer sail
George My throat's dry az parcheJ
corn"
! went to tie cooler and brought
him n glass Of water. didn't turn
my back on them any longer than nee
essary to draw .he water, but when
turned and went back to them they
both looked conscious.
Been stealing something's re-
marked
There was no reply from either
George very politely offered the glass
to Gerald, who thanked him very
much" and declined Somehow II
struck me that there was something
unusual in this polteness between the
two. They would more likely have
chaffed each other After taking
sip Of the water George set down the
glass, and they renewed the contest.
But what a difference! Each mans
eye was fixed on the others Each
life depended on 1t and parted 1t
when it came with all the skill he
possessed Every minute they became
more earnest. And then l began to
notice look in their faces that sur
prised and panied me. Their accus-
toned friendliness was replaced b.
hate. Their eyes began to CLEAN; the
blood mounted to their faces
You two fellows had better stop
that fracas," said You're getting
riled."
They paid no attention to me. In
deed. doubt If they heard me, so in
tent Were they on what they were do
ing. Presently saw blood running
from cash on the back of Gerald's
sword hand.
Here" cried, stop this"
/ was rising to get between them
when Gerald made a pass, breaking
through Georges guard, and l saw
the foil go right through the feshy
part of Georges arm. When it was
withdrawn the sleeve was saturated
with blood
In vain | cried to them to desist.
From friends they had become wild
animals. They paid no attention to
me, and so maddened were they that
I did not dare to force myself between
them, fearing to get stabbed. A red
stream trickling down Gerald's leg was
the next evidence of the seriousness of
the contest; then when Gerald's point
was within an inch of Georges heart
the latter in the tenth part Of second
turned 1t away. | hurried to find
something with which to beat down
the weapons and on facing the COM
batants again saw a door open and
Helen Deane step into the room. What
would have needed. weapon. TO nc-
complish this girl did by her simple
presence. The men lowered their foils.
How did you get on to thisi" asked
Gerald.
"Your sister overheard"
"Well."
drop those foils, both Of you. If
you value my acquaintance"
The foils ratified on the floor.
II have known you three friends for
long while" Helen continued. Il
will admit that one of you love-"
us 1t II" asked Gerald quickly.
mo"
II" asked George
mo"
The two men looked at each other;
then both turned toward me.
"CharlieT asked both at once
eyes"
They could have Knocked me down
with feather. had worshiped her
secretly. but not dreaming that l had
any chance with either Of the others.
"See the lady home, Charlie" said
ntk ~ rar4s ,