"No! Devil take me--do you think I'll stand by and see you murdered?" "Bentley," I cried, "if ever you were friend of mine you will free my arm this instant." All this time Raikes sat regarding us with a look of such open amusement as came nigh driving me frantic. "Mr. Bentley," says he, with a flourish of his hat, "I fancy 'twould be as well for Sir Richard were I and Captain Hammersley to ride on before, yet do not loose him till I am out of sight, I beg." "You hear, Bentley?" says I, trembling with passion. "Come--let us go--fool," I whispered under my breath, "for her sake!" Bentley's fingers twitched upon my arm. "Ah, I thought so!" he nodded. "Then quick, do as I bid, and get it over." "On condition that you settle the affair in the meadow yonder--'tis a better place in all respects," says Bentley, under his breath. "I care not where it be," says I. "So," sneered Raikes, "you are bent on fighting, then?" "In the meadow yonder," nodded Bentley, pointing with his whip to a field that lay beyond the narrow stone bridge, some little distance ahead. "As you will," says Raikes, shrugging his shoulders; "but whatever the consequences, I call you all to witness that Sir Richard's own impulsiveness is entirely to blame." So, having remounted, we rode forward, Raikes and the Captain leading the way. Now as we drew nearer to the bridge I have mentioned, I noticed a solitary figure wrapped in a horseman's cloak who sat upon the coping, seemingly absorbed in watching the flow of the stream beneath. We were almost upon him when he slowly rose to his feet, and as he turned his head I saw that he was masked, and, furthermore, that in either hand he held a long-barrelled pistol. "Abershaw, by God!" exclaimed the Captain, reining up all of a sudden. "Stand!" cried a harsh voice, whereupon we all very promptly obeyed with the exception of Raikes, who, striking spurs to his horse, dashed in upon the fellow with raised whip. There was the sound of a blow, a bitter curse, and the heavy whip, whirling harmlessly through the air, splashed down into the stream. "Ah! would you then?" says the fellow, with the muzzles of the pistols within a foot of Sir Harry's cowering body. "Ah, would you? Curse me, but I've a mind to blow the heart and liver out of you--d'ye take me?" "I'll see you hanged for this," said Raikes, betwixt his teeth. "Maybe aye, maybe no," says the fellow, in the same rough yet half-jovial voice, "but for the present come down--get down, d'ye hear?" Muttering oaths, Sir Harry perforce dismounted, and being by this still nearer the threatening muzzles, immediately proceeded to draw out a heavy purse, which he sullenly extended toward the highwayman, who, shifting one pistol to his pocket, took it, weighed it in his hand a moment, and then coolly tossed it over into the stream. "What the devil!" gasped Raikes, "are you mad?"