Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-07-25

Grey.
"They might try to stop us-no"
II shall ride slowly" Grey said.
Erskine bowed.
II shall not"
Nor did he. Within half an hour
Barbara, passing through the hall, saw
that the rapiers were gone from the
wall and she stopped, with the color
fled from her face and her hand on her
heart. At that moment Ephraim
dashed from the kitchen.
Miss Barbary, somebody gwine to
git killed. / was wukkin' in de ole
field an Marse Grey rid by cussin' to
hisself. Jist now Marse Erskine went
tearin' by de landln' wild couple o.
swords under his arm" His eyes too
went to the wall. "Yes, bless Gawd,
dey's gone" Barbara flew out the
door,
In q few moments she had found
Harry and Hugh. Even while their
horses were being saddled her father
rode up.
'Its murder" cried Harry, "and
Grey knows 1t. Erskine knows moth
ing about rapier."
Without word Colonel Dale
wheeled his tired horse and soon
Harry and Hugh dashed after him.
Barbara walked back to the house,
wringing her hands, but on the porch
she sat quietly in the agony Of wait
Ing that was the role of women In
those days.
Meanwhile, at a swift gallop Firetly
was skimming along the river road.
Grey had kept his wo d and more: he
had not only ridden slowly but he had
stopped and was waiting at an oak
tree that was cornerstone between
two plantations.
"That l may not kill you on yonr
own land" he said.
Erskine started. "The consideration
is deeper than you know"
They hitched their horses, and Frs
kline followed into pleasant glade
a grassy glade through which muir
; mureda a little stream. Erskine dropped
the rapiers on the Sward.
"Take your choice" he said.
"There is none," said Grey, picking
up the one nearer to him. 81 know
them both" Grey took off his coat
while Erskine waited. Grey made the
usual moves of courtesy and still Frs
kline waited, wonderingly, with the
point of the rapier on the ground.
"When you are ready" he said, will
you please let me know?"
o. Ready" answered Grey, and he
lunged forward. Erskine merely
whipped at his blade so that the clang
of it whined on the air to the break
ing-point and sprang backward. He
was as quick as an eyelash and 1.-THE
as a panther, and yet Grey almost
laughed aloud All Erskine did was
to whip the thrusting blade aside and
lean out of dagger like fash of light.
II was like an ineXpert boxer fail
ing according to rules unknown
and Grsy's face famed and actually
turned anxious. Then, as q kindly
fate would have it, Erskine's blade
caught in Grey's guard by accident,
and the powerful wrist behind 1t seek
ing merely to wrench the weapon
loose tore Grey's rapier from his grasp
and hurled it ten feet away. There
is no greater humiliation for the eX-
N u
had Erskine suffered the shame of
that long-ago day when a primitive
instinct had led him to thrusting his
knife into this same enemys breast.
Now, with his swords point on the
earth. lie waited courteously for Grey
to recover his weapon.
Again a kindly fate interviewed.
Even as Grey rushed for his sword,
Erskine heard the beat of horses
hO0fS. As he snatched it from the
ground and turned, with wicked
smile over his grinding teeth. came
Harry's shout, and as he rushed for
Erskine, Colonel Dale swung from his
horse. The sword-blades claShed,
ErSkine whipping back and forth in Il
way TO make swOrdsman groan-and
Colonel Dale had ErSline by the wrist
and was between them.
"HOw dare you, sir?" cried Grey
hOtly.
"Just q moment, young gentleman"
said Colonel Dale calmly.
"Let us alone, Uncle Harry-E-"
Just moment" repeated the
colonel sternly. "NIr. Grey, 60 you
think it quite fair that you with your
skill should fight man who knows
nothing about fOils?'
"There was no other way" Grey
said sullenly.
"And yNn could not wait, I pre-
sume?" Grey did not answer.
"NOw, hear what l have to say, and
If you both do not agree. the matter
will be arranged to your entire salts
faction, Mr. Grey. l have but one
question to ask. Your country is at
war. She needs every man for her
defense. Do you not thins your lives
belong to your country and that it is
selfish and unpatriOtlc just now to
risk them in any other cause" He
waited for his meaning to sink in, and
q