The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-03-15

70 tuN NtAs hAh Ant hioNt tNlu'tA
wlihstood such easy methods. Tho
mems footsteps rotroaled. and there
followed spell OF silence. whose
meaning WA quite Obvious 10 both
combatants. Tho grooms were gone
for implements to break down the
door
That made an end Of the eolonefs
hopes OF rendering the duke defense
less. task whose difficulty he began
to perceive thst he must find almost
insuperablc. Tie settled down. there
fore. 10 fight with grimmer purpose,
There was no choice FOR him now but
20 XIII buckingham before the grooms
won thru that door. or all would be
lost. indeed.
SO far HOLES had fought on almost
academic lines. no more. indeed. be.
ms necessary for the purpose hc had
been setting himself But now that
this purpose was changed. aud find.
ms that mere speed and yixor could
not drive his point beyond the dukes
iron guard. be had recourse 20 more
liberal mcthod5. There was a trick
n deadly. ncyerfailing trlck-that no
had learned years ago from an Ital.
ian master. soldier OF fortune who.
like himself. had drlficd into mer.
oenRry service with the Dutch. lie
would essay II now.
lie cide.steppcd 10 tho left. and
lungcd on a high line Of tlercc. his
point aimed az the throat Of his Op-
ponent. Tho object Of this was no
more than 10 make the duke swing
round 20 parry. Without meeting tho
opposing blade as u shifted 20 the
threatened line. Holes dropped his
point and HIS body az the same time.
until he was supported. az fiilea;
stretch. by his len hand upon the
ground. Upward under the dukes
guard he whlrlcd his point. ard the
duke. who had been earried--as IIol.
les had calculated tina, he would be
"a ittio too far round in the speed
required. thus uaduly exposing his
left flank. found that point coming
straight for his heart lie was no
morn than in tlmo 10 beat IL aside
with his left hand. and even no Il
ripped thru tho sleeve Of his douhiet
and tore his flesh Just above tho ei.
bow.
But for that wound there might
well have been an end Of HOLES. For
this trick OF his was such that Il
mus, succeed or tlse leave him that
essays Il momentariiy AZ tho mercy
Of his antagonist That moment pre-
scented Itself now: but Il was gone
again before tho duke had mastered
the twiteh occasionsd him by the
tearing OF his arm. Ills recovery and
downwRrd,driven ripos,e were swifi.
bu, loo late By half a heartbeat. Hol.
lea was no longer there 70 be impaled.
Tboy smiled gfimiy at each other
az erect they stood. pausing a second
after that mutually near escape Of
leafh. Then. as n succession OF re-
sounding bIows fell upon tho door,
HOLES drove AZ him again with re
doubled fury.
Holes realized that there was no
time 70 lose: Buckingham. that his
safety lay IN playing for time. and
allowing the others furious attacks
10 spend themselves against his do
fsn1e. Twice again. despite his
wound. he used his lef, hand from
which the blood was dripping freely.
TO dash aside the others blade. Once
he did Il with lmpunity. But when
he repeated the action. HOLES took
advantage OF Il 10 Ming himself sud.
denly forward inside the dukes
guard. until they were breast 10
breast. and with his own left he seiz
ed the dukes sword.wrist in n grip
that paraiyzed Il. Before. however.
no could carry out his intention OF
shortening his sword. his own wrist
was captive in the dukes blood.
Hmcarcd LEFT hand. He sought TO
force himself free OF that grip. But
the duke maintained Il with tho ten.
acity born OF the desperate knowledge
that his life depended on II. that II
he loosed his hold there would be an
instant end OF him.
Thus now In this fierce oorps-a.
corps they writhed and awayed hither
and thIther. snariing and painting and
tugging. whilst the sound OF the
blows upon the door announced the
splintering OF panel. aud Nancy.
half.swooning IN her chair. followed
the nightmare struggles OF the two
men in wido-eyed but only haif.sccing
terror.
And then under n final blow tho
door all splintnrcd about, the lock
flow open and the grooms flowed into
tho room TO their masters rescue.
HOLES tore his wrist FREQ at the
same moment By a last wrench. But
II was too iato. Casting the dukes
sword hand from him he sprang
away and round with a tearing sob
TO face tho lackeys. For second his
glittering point held them Mt bay.
Then the blow of club shlvered the
blade. and thoy rushed In upon him.
10 fciled ono OF them with blow OF
tho hilt which he still retained. be.
fore club took him across the skull.
Under that blow he rccied back
against the table, his limbs saggcd.
and he sank down in a heap uncon.
scio,is.
As he lay there one Of the grooms.
standing over him. swung his club
again with tho clear intention of beat.
ing out his brains. But the duke ar.
rested the descending blow.
ut IN not necessary" he said. He
was white and breathing hard from
his excrtions and there was fcyered
glitter In his eyes. But these signs
apart he was master OF himself.
Your arm, monseigneurF' cried
Francois, pointing 10 the blood that
filled his sleeve.
bah! A scratch! Presently"
Then he pointed TO tho prone, limp
figure Of HOLES. from whose head the
blood was slowly trickling. Get n
rope. Francois. and truss him up"
Francois departed on his errand.
You others. carry Antoine out. Then
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