The Argosy for May — page 74: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE CRIMSON HARVEST. The example, if I remember aright, was set by your worthy leader, General Washington.” I felt myself go white to the very lips, But I fought back my rage. ‘Your ignorance of the greatest man the century has produced,” said I qui- etly, ‘(is ample excuse for—”’ ‘“Tgnorance?”’ he mocked, seeing he had struck the right tack to provoke me. “Ignorance? No man but an ignorant Yankee bumpkin would attribute great- ness to that Virginia farmer who turned traitor to King George. A traitor and—’”’ He got no further. My sword was out. ““M. de Périer,” I cried as I sprang to the attack, ‘take your daughter to one of the inner rooms. Her fiancé’s death may not be pleasant to witness.” _ Then we were at it hot and heavy, sword to sword, up and down the room, overturning chairs, smashing fragile table ornaments, kicking rugs into disarray. I took the aggressive from the first, but did not fully let myself out until I saw, with the corner of my eye, M. de Périer forcibly draw the trembling Elise to the farther room and close the door on her. Then I flew at my adversary with all the fury of a man whose country and whose country’s idol have been insulted, with all the deadly fencing skill bred of long years’ practise under the cleverest maitres d’armes France could boast. I had endured insults without num- ber—a blow itself—in, that room. It was good to be at last free to revenge my shameful injuries.. And revenge them I would. De Grieux was a strong man, and tall. He was a good swordsman, too. Yet, with the mysterious “ fencer’s instinct,” I felt before we had fought thirty sec- onds that I was his master. I pressed him back, little by little, forcing him ever to shift his ground, hurling in thrusts and lunges with all the speed and accuracy of an arm trained and strengthened by years of practise. Now I parried one of his thrusts, feint- ed and lunged, eluding his guard and touching him on the chest. 3 It was but a flesh wound I scored, but I knew I would soon or late be able to drive home the finishing thrust. And 261 at sight of the fleck of blood that stained his shirt-ruffle a cold, relentless rage took hold of me, as I have known it to do on the battle-field. And I pressed my advantage the harder. Brave man as he was, De Grieux knew he had met more than his match. Yet he fought on, despairingly, and with a fury equal to my own. Our crossed blades grated and whined together, flashing forth long shimmering rays from the candle-light. We were beginning to breathe heavily, too. De Périer’s set, excited face came once into my range of vision. He had left the door of the inner room, and, in his tense interest, had drawn. nearer and nearer to us as we fought. After a series of thrusts, that De Grieux guarded with increasing uncer- tainty, I saw that all was ready for my final stroke. A bewilderingly swift feint that would leave his guard open to my lunge—and then— The inner door was thrown open, and Elise advanced into the room.. Her father saw her, and seized her shoulders as she would have run between us. But I had seen her face, in the candle-light. And, at the unspeakable look in those wide luminous eyes of \hers, my love surged back upon me, killing the death- hate that had just filled my whole being. She loved this man, this man who fought at my mercy. Were I to slay him, the thrust that laid him low would kill her heart as well. And I who loved her would then be murderer alike of her lover and her love. All at once I felt as if it were she, not De Grieux, who stood before me, awaiting death. At the thought, I knew I could not kill my adversary, Yet I made the feint I had planned. Only, instead of driving my blade to the hilt through De Grieux’s heart, I made a light, quick cut that struck from his ewaistcoat the lowest lapel button. The button had been directly above his heart. He noted what I had done, and he understood that I held his life in the hollow of my hand, and—was sparing it. As his sword wavered, in momentary confusion at my inexplicable act of mercy, I made .use of another trick I had long ago learned. (eO) DOKO)|KK (Cl)