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the detective； 〃and I suggest that either Mr。 Ward or Mr。 Bard
perform a like office for Mr。 Black。〃
Loge shrugged his shoulders； and said with a sneer：
〃A second； eh？ We seem to be doing a great deal of arranging for
a very small amount of fighting。〃
〃I suggest；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； 〃that a night's rest would
be quite in order for both principals。〃
Loge broke in quickly； with studied insolence： 〃I object to the
delay。 Mr。 Cleggett might find some excuse for changing his mind
overnight。 Let us； if you please； begin at once。〃
〃It was not I who suggested the delay；〃 said Cleggett； haughtily。
〃Then give us the pistols；〃 cried Loge； with a sudden； grim
ferocity in his voice； 〃and let's make an end of it！〃
〃We fight with swords；〃 said Cleggett。 〃I am the challenged
party。〃
〃Ho！ Swords！〃 cried Loge； with a harsh； jarring laugh。 〃A bout
with the rapiers； man to man； eh？ Come； this is better and
better！ I may go to the chair； but first I will spit you like a
squab on a skewer； my little nut！〃 And then he said again； with
a shout of gusty mirth； and a clanking of his manacles： 〃Swords；
eh？ By God！ The little man says SWORDS！〃
Wilton Barnstable drew Cleggett to one side。
〃Name pistols；〃 he said。 〃For God's sake； Cleggett； name
pistols！ If I had had any idea that you were going to demand
rapiers I should have warned you before。〃
Cleggett was amused at the great detective's anxiety。 〃It
appears that the fellow handles the rapier pretty well； eh？〃 he
said easily。
〃Cleggett〃 began Barnstable。 And then he paused and groaned
and mopped his brow。 Presently he controlled his agitation and
continued。 〃Cleggett；〃 he said； 〃the man is an expert swordsman。
I have been on his trail； I know his life for years past。 He was
once a maitre d'armes。 He gave lessons in the art。〃
〃Yes？〃 said Cleggett； laughing and flexing his wrist。 〃I am glad
to hear that！ It will be really interesting then。〃
〃Cleggett；〃 said Barnstable； 〃I beg of youname pistols。 This
is the man who invented that diabolical thrust with which Georges
Clemenceau laid low so many of his political opponents。 If you
must go on with this mad duel； name pistols！〃
〃Barnstable；〃 said Cleggett； 〃I know what I am about； believe me。
Your anxiety does me little honor； but I am willing to suppose
that you are not deliberately insulting； and I pass it over。 I
intend to kill this man。 It is a duty which I owe to society。
And as for the rapierbelieve me； Barnstable； I am no novice。
And my blood tingles and my soul aches with the desire to expunge
that man from life with my own hand。 Come； we have talked
enough。 There is a case of swords in the cabin。 Will you do me
the favor to bring them on deck？〃
Loge's irons were unlocked。 He rose to his feet and stretched
himself。 He removed his coat and waistcoat。 Then he took off
his shirt； revealing the fact that he wore next his skin a
long…sleeved undershirt of red flannel。
Cleggett began to imitate him。 But as the commander of the
Jasper B。 began to pull his shirt over his head he heard a little
scream。 Everyone turned in the direction from which it had
emanated。 They beheld Miss Genevieve Pringle perched upon the
top of the cabin； whither she had mounted by means of a short
ladder。 This lady； perhaps not quite aware of the possibly
sanguinary character of the spectacle she was about to witness；
had； nevertheless； sensed the fact that a spectacle was toward。
Miss Pringle had with her a handsome lorgnette。
〃Madam；〃 said Cleggett； hastily pulling his shirt back on again
and approaching the cabin； 〃did you cry out？〃
〃Mr。erCleggett；〃 said Miss Pringle； pursing her lips； 〃if you
will kindly hold the ladder for me I think I will descend and
retire at once to the cabin。〃
〃As you wish；〃 said Cleggett politely； complying with her wish；
but at a loss to comprehend her。
〃I beg you to believe； Mr。 Cleggett；〃 said Miss Pringle； averting
her face and flushing painfully； while she turned the lorgnette
about and about with embarrassed fingers； 〃I beg you to believe
that in electing to witness this spectacle I had no idea of its
exceedingly informal nature。〃
With these words she passed into the cabin； with the air of one
who has sustained a mortal insult。
〃Ef you was to ask me what she's tryin' to get at；〃 piped up
Cap'n Abernethy； 〃I'd say it's her belief that it ain't proper
for gents to sword each other with their shirts off。 She's
shocked； Miss Pringle is。〃
〃In great and crucial moments；〃 said Cleggett soberly； pulling
off his shirt again and picking up a sword； 〃we may dispense with
the minor conventions without apology。〃
Loge chose a weapon with the extreme of care and particularity；
trying the hang and balance of several of them。 He looked well
to the weight； bent the blade in his hands to test the spring and
temper； tried the point upon his thumb。 He handled the rapier as
if he had found an old friend again after a long absence； he
looked around upon his enemies with a sort of ferocious；
bantering gayety。
〃And now；〃 said Loge； 〃if this is to be a duel indeed； Mr。
Cleggett and I will need plenty of room； I suggest that the rest
of you retire to the bulwarks and give us the deck to ourselves。〃
〃For my part；〃 said Cleggett； 〃I order it。〃
〃And；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； drawing his pistol； 〃Mr。 Black
will please note that while I am standing by the bulwarks I shall
be watching indeed。 Should he make an attempt to escape from the
vessel I shall riddle him with bullets。〃
〃Come； come；〃 said Loge； 〃all this conversation is a waste of
time！〃
〃That is my opinion also；〃 said Cleggett。
They saluted formally； and engaged their blades。
With Cleggett； swordsmanship was both a science and an art。 And
something more。 It was also a passion。 A good swordsman can be
made； a superior swordsman may be born； the real masters are both
born and made。 It was so with Cleggett。 His interest in fencing
had been keen from his early boyhood。 In his teens he had
acquired unusual practical skill without great theoretical
knowledge。 Then he had recognized the art for what it is； the
most beautiful game on earth； and had made a profound and
thorough study of it； it appealed to his imagination。
He became； in a way； the poet of the foil。
Cleggett seldom fenced publicly； and then only under an assumed
name； he abhorred publicity。 But there was not a teacher in New
York City who did not know him for a master。 They brought him
their half worked out visions of new combinations； new thrusts；
he perfected them； and simplified； or elaborated； and gave back
the finished product。
They were the workmen； the craftsmen； the men of talent； he was
the originator； the genius。
And he was especially lucky in not having been tied down； in his
younger years； to one national trad