The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-03-16
The Rivals
(copyrisht. 1917. western Newspaper uniOn.)
By ELMER MARSH

country place, and /, who was very
chummy with Jim. vas of course invit-
ed. They called the place Vieudeleau.
There was everything there to make
life enjoyable; a ballroom. a billiard
room, a swimming tank and a gymnasi-
um.
We were a young party, the mems
ages averaging twenty-five, the girls
twenty. There was a belle among the
girls, Eva Trowbridge. The principal
reason for her being q belle was be-
cause of her very lovely disposition
1t was natural for her TO be consider
ate to everyone. This included me,
but since her kind of treatment of me
was the same as the others, / didn't
put IL down for a preference, though
/ would have been glad to think that
1 was the prime favorite.
Some of the other men didn't take
my view in respect to themselves, and
there were two guests who were madly
In love with her. They were Jack
Pierson and Ned Armstrong.
Jim Farleigh was fond of boxing,
IbuGtIE dHu ObntI dlAlCNlG 0UOA To- uii
had reserved a corner of the gymnasi-
um for the use of the gloves and the
foils. One morning when / was In
the gymnasium doing some stunts on
the parallel bars, Pierson and Arm
strong came In and walked straight
to the reserved corner. They called
to me as they passed and gave me to
understand that they were going to
fence, and wished me to act as umpire.
/ noticed that each had a foil under
his arm which he stood In a convenI-
ent place against the wall.
/ took a seat where / could watch
the fencing. They took off their coats
the rack. put themselves In position
for the fray. / wondered why they
had brought in foils and used 9TH
ers. But this was a passing thought
with me. Before beginning to fight
Jack Pierson examined the button on
the end of his foil. and coming to me
asked me If l didn't think 1t might
break off If tried too severely. 1
looked at it, and told him IL was per-
fectly safe. Ned Armstrong did the
same, and / also approved his foil.
They fenced for a while, but 1t
didn't seem TO me that either was do
ing his best work. Finally Jack pro-
posed &c rest for a while and smoke
a cigarette. Neither one of us had
any cigarettes, but my case was In my
coat pocket at the other end Of the
gymnasium. / went for Ii and, return
ing, each one of us took a cigarette
and lighted 1t. The fencers took only
a few pufs, when they threw theirs
away and again placed themselves on
guard.
While previously they had fenced
l~anguidly, now every nerve, every nus
Gle, was at a tension. They could not
have been more alert IL they had been
fighting for their lives.
The two men were quite evenly
matched. and 1 should have enjoyed
the contest had Ii not been that / did
not like the spirit with which they
were fencing. Instead of friendly con-
test, 1t seemed a serious one. Their
faces were red and their eyes gleam-
ing.
Finally / arose from my seat and put
myself between them. So great was
their antagonism that I was In some
danger Of being punched by their
foils. Finally I succeeded In stopping
them, and they lowered their weapons.
IF you fellows can't fence In a
friendly way" 1 said, "you had better
stop. If one of you should hurt the
other, 1t would be poor return for Jim
Farleigh's hospitality"
~Instinctively I looked at the top
Of Jacks foil, and could not see the
button. l seized the foil and held II
hear enough to observe the tip. There
was no button on II. 1t was sharp as
a bayonet. I took up Ned's foil, and
1t was the same.
grily.
Neither answered.
"You men," I continued, shave dis
graced yourselves In fighting on the
premises of your host. And you have
roped me into your ignominious con-
duct. You intended II either was hurt
to call on me to prove that an accident
occurred through the breaking of a
foil. You emf ms for cigarettes, and
while my back was turned you took up
those foils that you had brought with
you, and then began to fight In earn
est. Give them to me-"
l took the weapons. and as / did so
heard steps behind me. Turning, I saw
Eva T~rowbridge and another of the
girl guests.
II just got wind Of the AFFAIR" she
said, 'and that II was about me. / de-
sire to say to you. Mr.. Peterson and
Mr.. Armstrong. that I concur with the
words spoken by your umpire. II you
don't hasten to take your departure
from this place at once. / will go my
self"
Then. turning to me, she said feel
ingly: IL shall never forget the IA
vor you have done me I'm stopping this