The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-04-09

- of Alice. His brain, playing
4 double, calculated with light
ming swiftness the chances
and movements Of that whirlwind
Iush Of fight, while at the same time
IL swept through a retrospect Of all
the years since Alice came. into his
life. How he had watched her grow
and bloom; how he had taught her,
trained her mind and soul and body
&c high things, loved her with a father
ly passion unbounded, guarded her
from the coarse and lawless influence
of her surroundings. Like the toldng
Of an infinitely melancholy bell, all
this went through his breast and
brain, and, blending with a furious
current Of whatever passions were
deadly dangerous in his nature, swept
as a storm bearing its awful force into
his sword-arn.
The Englishman was a lion, the
priest a gladiator. The stars alOft in
the vague. dark, yet splendid. am
phitheater were the audience. 1t was
a question. Would the thumbs go
down or up? Life and death held the
chances even; but 1t was at the viii Of
Heaven, not Of the stars. Hoo ha-
bet'' must follow the stroke ordered
from beyond the astral clusters and
the dusky blue.
Hamilton pressed, nay rushed, the
fight with a weight and at a pace
which could not last. But Father
Beret withstood him so firmly that he
made no farther Roadway; he even
lost some ground a moment later.
You damned Jesuit hypocriter' he
snarIed; you lowest of a vile brother
hood of nars?'
Then he rusho again, making d
magnificent show Of strength, quick
ness and accuracy. The sparks Kissed
and cracked from the rasping and
ringing blades.
Father Beret was, in truth, a Jesuit,
and as such q zealot; but he was not
a lar or a hypocrite. Being human,
he resented an insult The sanity
spirit in him was strong, yet not
strong enough to breast the indigna-
don which now dashed against 1t. For
a moment it went down.
Liar and scoundrel. yourself
he retorted, hoarseIy forcing his
words out Of his throat Spawn of
a. beastly breedr'
Hamilton saw and felt a change
pass over the spirit Of the old priests
movements. Instantly the sword
leaping against his own seemed en-
lowed with subtle cunning and ma
ugnant treachery. Before this It had
been difficult enough to meet the fine
play and hold fairly even; now he
was startled and confused; but he rose
to the emergency with admirable viii
power and cleverness.
Murderer Of a poor orphan girlr
Father Beret added with a hot con
centrated accent; death is too good
for you
Hamilton felt nearer his grave than
EVER before IN all his wild expe-
Renee, for somehow doom. shadowy
and formless, ike the atmosphere of
an awful dream, enmisted those words,
but he was no weakling to quit at the
height of desperate conflict. He was
strong. expert. and game to the mid
die Of his heart.
I'm add a traitor Jesuit TO my list
Of dead" he painted forth, rising yet
again to the EXTREMIST tension Of his
power.
As he did this Father Beret settled
himself as you have seen a mighty
horse do in the home stretch of a
race. Both men knew that the mo
ment had arrived for the final act in
their impromptu play. 1t was short.
duel condensed and crowded into
fifteen seconds Of time. and It was
apid beyond the power Of words to
lescribe. A bystander, had there been
me, could not have seen what was
finally done or how It was done.
Father Beret's sword seemed to - re
volving-it was a halo in front Of
Hamilton for a mere point of time.
The old priest seemed TO crouch and
then make quick motion as II about
to leap backward. A wrench and a
snip, as of something violently jerked
from a fastening were followed by
a semicircular flight Of Hamilton's
rapier over Father Geret'5 head TO
stick in the ground ten feet behind
him. The duel was over. and the
whole terrible struggle had occupied
less than three minutes.
With his wrist strained and his fin
gers Utmost DIOhe1ls hamilton STUN
bled forward and would have i'm
paled himself had not Father Beret
turned the point OF his weapon aside
as he lowered It.
Surrender, or der
That was a strange order for Z
priest to make, but there could be no
installing it's authority or the power
behind It. Hamilton regained his foot
ing and looked dazed wheeling and
putting like a porpoise, but he clearly
understood what was demanded OF
him
eff you call out I'll run through. D
Father Beret added. seeing him move
his lips as If to shout for help.
The level rapier now reinforced the
words. Hamilton let the breath &C
noiselessly from his mouth and waved
his hand in token Of enforced submits
sion.
well, what do you want me to do?'
he demanded after a short pause
You seem to have me at your mercy
What are your terIns2"
Father Beret hesitated. 1t was {
question difficult to answer.
"Give me your word as a British
officer that you will never again try