"
He balanced the murderous-looking thing in his hand and proceeded.
"There are not many types of bayonets. The first was what they called
a 'Plug,' because it was made to fit into the muzzle of a flint, or
match-lock. Then there was the socket bayonet, the ring bayonet and an
improved weapon invented by an English officer named Chillingworth
which met with much favor in the armies of Europe. But the latest
development is the sword bayonet, of which this is an example. Its
form is a great improvement over the older makes; it is an almost
perfect side arm as well, having a cutting edge, a point, and a grip
exactly like that of a sword. There are a number of makes of this
type; the Schwartz-Michael is one of the least known of these.
Upon its being placed on the market it was adopted by three
governments--Bolivia, Servia, and Turkey--and there it stopped."
He laid the weapon upon the table and settled himself back in his
chair.
"It struck me when I first saw the thing," he went on, "that it was a
little singular that a Schwartz-Michael should even find its way into
the United States. Now, it would not surprise me to find an English
revolver in Patagonia, or an American rifle in Thibet, because they
are universally known and used.
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