The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-17
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 | SQ[LWl E R I A Romance { Of Drwsseml@mdl
Cont1nued.)

lance play may be as good as yours"
 Sure, that's not it at all. The one who fights dies fighting; the one who is left dies there. Pm the one who's left. That is what troubles me-" And Rhe waved his hand toward the square.
 t'It's bad sign when man barks 1 as loudly as Vasca does,'' said.
 That's 8 sound enough argument when civilization has knocked half the fighting power out of man, but it's 1 just meaningless here. In Drussen- land a man daren't bark unless he can bite. I'd give good deal to be back in Yadasara. The place is full of black
 guards. to be sure, but they're black
 guards you can understand-none of
 these tournament businesses and non sense of that kind.''
 There were three days of waiting
 before the tournament, three days in which had to steel myself to behave calmly, as usual, three days during
 which could hardly remain still for l a moment.
 The day dawned bright and sunny. but with "a keenness in the air which !! perhaps my nervous excitement exag- Terated. I woke early and never, sure ] ly, have hours been so leaden winged l as they were that morning. w = W4A4 AOb sOG SAG AASL U 11A1AFC1 said O'Ryan, curbing my impatence.
 'sIt would only be to show anxiety"
 (Which. of course. we do not feel,''
 said, with a nervous laugh. : We waited in silence until it was time to go, and in silence we rode to 1 the camp.
 Plentiful as the accommodation in
 the lists had seemed to me, it was evi- dently not too much. Every seat, ev- cry point, of vantage, had been taken. There were two entrances reserved for 1 the knights who were to take part in 1 the days proceedings. facing each oth- CT and shut off from the arena by
 barrier which was only opened to let a knight pass in to combat l On one side of the lists was gallery, l in which were the marshal and his l heralds, and opposite similar gallery. where Princess Daria sat with her ret inue. My eyes were riyeted on this
 gallery, but I could not tell whether she had noticed me or whether she looked anxious or indifferent.
 Your time approaches. VerraIl," said O'Ryan. looking to the harness of my horse.
 The trumpets sounded. and a roar
 of welcome came from thousand throats. Other conabats had excited,
 but my entrance heraIded the perform ance which had brought this crowd to
 gether. As ! rode past the gallery the
 marshal and his attendants rose to give me courteous welcome. So had
 they risen to each knight as he en-
 tered the lists. but there was keener
 criticism in their eyes as they rose to me. Some friends I had among them, l some enemies I could probably have divided friends from foes by the ex
 pression on their faces. I kept my horse well in hand. I had no desire
 now to show off gaIlantly- The busi-
 ness before me was too serious and
 might all too soon give the lie to my
 warlike appearance. Slowly I walked
 the horse round the lists until I was
 opposite the gallery in which Princess
 Darfa sat.
 The princess rose, and I sa1uted her
 gravely, wondering if at that moment
 the same thought ran through both our
 brains-the thought of the handker-
 chief which she had given and which even then was lying close to my heart. Then I rode back and stood beneath
 the marshaIs gallery.
 tsHera1ds, sound the challenge of the
 Knight of the Silver Star-oncew he cried.
 The trumpets' music filed the air. and before the echoes had died among the hills the barrier at the opposite 1 side of the lists to which I had enter ed was thrown open, and Count Xasca rude into the arena. 'I accept the challenge" he cried, and then, approaching me, he said in Ia lower voice: t'No love creeps into our combat, Sir VerraIl. You have wfIled that fl shall be for honor" t'For honor, Count vasca, and for
 love, too, if you willy I answered de l dantly.
 "So soon different tale!s Danger i gives increasing beauty to a fair face likely to be lost"
 "1t is rather to challenge you to your best. You harp on love so con stantIy perchance honor is not enough to strengthen your arm against me- | A hiss of rage was his only answer. gro achievement, knightsy' cried the
 herald. Sound trumpetsI''
 | As the blast rang out turned my
 horse, and the next moment the count
 and were rushing madly at each oth-
 CT. In that instant my mind was a I blank. Action had driven out even the thought of fear. We met. His lance shivered against my shield. blow which shook me, but did not
 make me reel in the saddle. Either
 my aim was untrue or he avoided the 1 blow, for my lance only glanced along
 his armor, and I continued my rush
 toward the opposite side of the lists. Perhaps there was some surprise that 1 I was still in the saddle, a satisfac-
 ton that the combat was not to be
 one sided affair. that if not all claim ed to be I was at least no craven car | pet knigbt- At any rate. a cheer rang out, and felt encouraged.
 1 Turning, I saw that the count had l been supplied with another lance and was ready to charge again. There was
 8 moments pause; then the trumpets sounded, and once more we rushed upon each other. The spirit of battle
 was upon me. I had more confidence,