THE FISTIC DUEL
The evening following the moonlight fête, a little after sunset when
the western sky, stained with a luminous golden hue, had spread
on verdant hills and valleys its radiance of languorous serenity,
two motor cyclists were speeding along on a secluded path that led
into the main highway, from the Diana Seminary to the West Point
Military Academy. The one in advance was wheeling in a leisurely
way, while the one behind exerted greater speed, as if in pursuit
of the other. He was gaining rapidly so that in a very few minutes
the foremost was overtaken, as they both reached a wooden bridge,
spanning a small body of water.
Both came suddenly to a stop and dismounted. They were Professor Cielo
Allenson and Carlos Don Seville. Don Seville, stung by the rebuke
which the Professor had administered to him the night previous at
the Seminary, had decided to take the cowardly course of waylaying
the instructor, in this lonely path, in order to avenge himself for
the righteous verbal punishment the latter had given him.
Carlos Don Seville was a degenerate scion of a once noble Spanish
family, who had settled in the United States and, like many such
offspring, was engaged in sowing his wild oats. Financially dependent
on a small income, he was always at his wit's end in order to secure
money with which to continue his reckless profligacy. Being inherently
foolish and improvident, he always had the illusion that some day
"something would turn up," and encouraged by this belief he had
recourse to gambling and speculation. As soon as he received his
dwindled allowance, he made himself a willing prey of card sharps
and get-rich-quick brigands.
Lately, however, he had conceived the idea of marrying an heiress,
and for that purpose he was hovering about Diana Seminary, annoying
the young ladies by his unsolicited attentions, or by brazen audacity
intruding unceremoniously upon their receptions. His snobbish mendacity
reached its climax when at the night of the moonlight soirée he
accosted Aurora and Margaret at the intermission of the dance, while
they were sauntering arm-in-arm along the parterre to a trysting nook.
Notwithstanding Margaret's bold declaration of the previous day, that
she wanted to give the "Jewsky" a piece of her mind, the feminine
temerity and reserve had taken possession of her. The minute they
saw him advance they took to their heels, and scampered back with
appealing gestures toward Professor Allenson who, divining at once
the situation, came gallantly to their rescue, giving Don Seville a
scathing reprimand and commanding him to depart, "unless he desired,"
announced the Professor, "to be skinned alive by the war dogs of the
Military Academy."
Don Seville, frightened and abashed, beat an inglorious retreat
and disappeared.
Professor Cielo Allenson, better known at the Military Academy as
the "Old Guard," was a venerable man past seventy. He had a highly
intellectual countenance and his silvery white hair and patriarchal
beard gave him a noble dignity which commanded respect. His strenuous
virility and inexhaustible energy was ever a lesson and a rebuke
to the many indolent youths who came in contact with him. He was a
philosopher of the first rank and an intense lover of nature. Imbued
with the deeper knowledge of the subtle workings of natural phenomena,
"he could not draw a line," he would say, "between the manifestations
of human, animal and vegetable kingdoms."
"Halt you d----d old cur! I demand no apology, but satisfaction,"
snarled Don Seville abruptly, his face livid with anger.
For a second the Professor was taken aback. But in that very second,
through his intuitive and resourceful mind flashed the fact that he
was "cornered." He was not a man easily frightened, for as a Major
of Volunteers during the Panama and Columbian trouble, and while in
his teens, he had led on his handful of men up the hills against the
ramparts of the enemy.
But a problem which required instantaneous solution was now presented
to him by Carlos Don Seville. It was a problem which neither diplomacy,
moral persuasion nor flight of oratory could solve. He realized in
that very second that the only way out of this difficulty was to take
the coward at his word. It was to be a fistic encounter to the finish.
"Apology, I have none to offer you sir, and am ready to give you such
satisfaction as you desire," replied the old man with a dignified
firmness.
A remarkable change had taken place in the person of Cielo
Allenson. That venerable and spirituelle individual had been
transformed in a twinkling of an eye, into a grim and determined
looking animal, and like an expert gladiator of the fistic arena,
he took the attitude of self-defense.
The "ring" constituted the platform of the wooden bridge, the side
rails of which served as the partial ropes. There were no seconds to
goad their favorites into action, no referee to decide the doubtful or
unlawful blows, no gong to mark the rounds, nor time-keeper to count
the defeated out of action. In the languorous glow of the twilight
their shadows, reflected in black silhouettes in the placid waters
below, were the only silent witnesses of this remarkable encounter.
The contest was constant and in the vernacular of pugilism, superbly
game, fast and furious! After the acceptance of the challenge there
was no parley between them, but by a sudden rush, Don Seville with his
right hand landed a hammering blow on the Professor's skull, which the
latter parried with his left with dexterous agility and thus saved a
crisis, for if left unchecked the blow would have reached his "solar
plexus." In rapid succession the fight continued, Don Seville taking
the aggressive and the Professor acting more in self-defense. However,
as often as opportunity presented, the latter put in a few well aimed
jabs, here and there, on the vital points of Don Seville's anatomy. At
the same time it was apparent that Don Seville was getting the best
of the contest. The venerable Professor unused to long continued
strain of the kind, began to experience difficulty in breathing,
and this did not escape Don Seville's observation. Shortly, however,
a remarkable change was visible; the Professor seemed to grow stronger
with each onslaught he made. He had gained his so-called "second wind"
thereby recouping his adroitness and elasticity.
With the consummate skill of a scientific boxer, several times
he feigned signs of weakness, by giving false openings, of which
his infuriated antagonist attempted to avail himself, thinking the
Professor to be on the verge of collapse, only to receive in return
several well directed right and left swings on the jaw. These staggered
Don Seville to his knees, but he was allowed to rise to his feet by
the generous tolerance of the Professor, and the consciousness of
this humility caused him to wage the attack with reckless fury. With
vulgar oaths he began to resort to foul tactics, trying to hit the
defender beyond the limits of decent pugilism.
Don Seville's endurance had now come to its end. His youth, dissipated
by debauchery, was undermined of its stability, and in spite of the
wide disparity of ages the old man had Don Seville absolutely in
his power. It was time, he thought, to terminate these proceedings,
so distasteful and undignified to him, but the only way he saw was,
to lay aside the tactics of self defense, and adopt those of a
punitive retaliation.
With keen alertness he watched for an opportunity and when Don
Seville, almost crazed with anger, rushed on him for a clinch, entirely
oblivious of the intention of the Professor, the latter gave a sudden
shift to his position by swinging his body away from his antagonist
Don Seville blindly followed him in his determination of a desperate
onslaught. It was then that the venerable Allenson shot out a driving
"right upper cut" to the jaw.
This was the finale! Don Seville staggered to the rails and toppling
over fell with a splash into the limpid waters below.
The Professor promptly jumped down the embankment and pulled out his
still unconscious adversary. If abandoned in that condition the young
man might have drowned in the shallow waters. The Professor began to
do all in his power to restore him to consciousness; just at that
time a farmhand on horseback appeared on the scene, and by his aid
the Academy ambulance was summoned and Don Seville was taken to the
military hospital.