dier's breast.

Mauville smiled, but Barnes groaned inwardly, feeling his courage and
confidence fast oozing from him. Neither he nor the other spectators
doubted the result. Strength would count but little against such
agility; the land baron was an incomparable swordsman.

"Gad!" muttered the count to himself. "It promises to be short and
sweet."

As if to demonstrate the verity of this assertion, Mauville suddenly
followed his momentary advantage with a dangerous lunge from below.
Involuntarily Barnes looked away, but his wandering attention was
immediately recalled. From the lips of the land baron burst an
exclamation of mingled pain and anger. Saint-Prosper had not only
parried the thrust, but his own blade, by a rapid _riposte_, had
grazed the shoulder of his foe.

Nor was the manager's surprise greater than that of the count. The
latter, amazed this unusual strategem should have failed when directed
by a wrist as trained and an eye as quick as Mauville's, now
interposed.

"Enough!" he exclaimed, separating the contestants. "Demme! it was
superb. Honor has been satisfied."

"It is nothing!" cried the land baron, fiercely. "His blade hardly
touched me." In his exasperation and disappointment over his failure,
Mauville was scarcely conscious of his wound. "I tell you it is
nothing," he repeated.

"What do you say, Mr. Saint-Prosper?" asked the count.

"I am satisfied," returned the young man, coldly.

"But I'm not!" reiterated the patroon, restraining himself with
difficulty. "It was understood we should continue until _both_ were
willing to stop!"

"No," interrupted the count, suavely; "it was understood you should
continue, if both were willing!"

"And you're not!" exclaimed the land baron, wheeling on Saint-Prosper.
"Did you leave the army because--"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen! let us observe the proprieties!" expostulated
the count. "Is it your intention, sir"--to Saint-Prosper--"not to
grant my principal's request?"

A fierce new anger gleamed from the soldier's eyes, completely
transforming his expression and bearing. His glance quickly swept from
the count to Mauville at the studied insult of the latter's words; on
his cheek burned a dark red spot.

"Let it go on!"

The count stepped nimbly from his position between the two men. Again
the swords crossed. The count's glance bent itself more closely on the
figure of the soldier; noting now how superbly poised was his body;
what reserves of str