After I had waited a quarter of an hour or so, and heard no sounds I became sorely impatient. Had Benet seen through the scheme and taken her the other way? Had Otho discovered the plot? Had Amelia proved false? Had Nancy changed her mind at the last minute? I called myself a fool for caring so much, but at that time I was in a fever, and I chafed finely as I strode to and fro. More than half an hour had passed, and I had put my foot in the stirrup to ride towards Endellion, when I heard the sound of horses' hoofs; a minute or so later I saw a man and two women riding towards me. I drew my sword, and waited. CHAPTER XI. MY FIGHT WITH BENET KILLIGREW, AND OUR FLIGHT ACROSS THE MOORS. "Stop!" I cried as the party came up. Immediately the women checked their horses, but the man seemed as though he would ride on, heedless of me. When he saw that his companions obeyed my bidding, however, he wheeled around savagely. "Who are you, my man?" he cried. It was Benet Killigrew who spoke. Evidently the women had carefully obeyed my bidding. "Thank you, Killigrew, for carrying out my plans," I said. "Now you can ride back to your father and the priest, and tell them what a fool you have been." I heard him growl an oath which I will not here set down. "What want you?" he cried. "I could have shot you easily," I said, "but that is not my way. Go back now, I will take care of the lady." He saw the trap into which he had fallen, but he was not a man to give up easily. "Ha!" he laughed, "after all, I'm glad of this. You thought I should play into your hands, but, by Heaven, you play into mine!" He leaped from his horse as he spoke, and I believe that for the moment in his eagerness to fight he had forgotten why he was there. Bidding Chestnut stand still, I placed myself on guard while Benet drew his sword. "I like not fighting before women," he cried; "they faint at the sight of blood, but, by Cormoran, I love you, Trevanion! We'll fight for the maid, and the best man shall have her." "Stop a minute," I said. "This is Mistress Nancy Molesworth, is it not?" "Yes,"--it was the maid herself who spoke. "And you do not wish to go with this man Benet Killigrew?" "No, no. I will go no further with him now. I only came here thus at your bidding!" "Did you?" growled Benet, "but you will go further with me. Trevanion, you are over confident, my man. Because you threw me by a trick I had not practised, you ventured on this scheme? I love you for it, but you are a dead man, Trevanion"; and he gave a laugh of wild joy. For the moment I repented I had not wounded him unawares and taken away the maid without his knowing who had done it, but only for a moment. It is but a coward's device to hurt an unprepared man. Besides, although Benet Killigrew was a wild rake, and ill-fitted to be the husband of such a maid as Nancy Molesworth, he was a brave man, and loved a fight, and as such I respected him.