"I must deny you, pomposity," he answered, gayly. "It were pity to postpone a pleasure." "You are in the right," commented Halfman. "Come, sirs, enough words; let us to deeds. Begin." The sticks swung in the air and met with a crack, each man's hand pressing his cudgel hard against the other's, each man's foot firm and springing, each man's eyes seeking to read in the other's the secret of his assault. Suddenly Blaise made a feint at Evander's leg and then swashed for his head. "Have a care for your crown," he shouted, confident in his stroke; but Evander met the blow instantly and wood only rattled on wood. "I have cared for it," he said, quietly, as he came on guard again, making no attempt to return Sir Blaise's attack. Sir Blaise reversed his tactics, feinted at Evander's head, and swept a furious semicircle at Evander's legs. "Save your shins, then," he cried, and grunted with rage as he again encountered Evander's swiftly revolving staff and heard Evander answer, mockingly: "I have saved them." Inarticulate fury goaded him. "I will play with you no longer!" he growled, and made a rush for Evander, raining blow upon blow as quickly as he could deliver them, and hoping to break down Evander's guard. But Evander, giving ground a little before his antagonist's onslaught, met the attacks with a mill-wheel revolution of his weapon which kept him scatheless, and then suddenly his cudgel shot out, came with a sullen crack on Sir Blaise's skull, and the tussle was over. Sir Blaise was lying his length on the grass, very still, and there was blood upon his ruddy hair. Brilliana in hiding gave a little gasp when she saw her neighbor fall; she could not tell whether to laugh or cry at the defeat of the Cavalier. She saw Halfman bend over the fallen man and lift his head upon his knee. She saw Evander advance and look down upon his adversary. "I hope you are not hurt," Evander said, solicitously. Halfman glanced up at the victor. "No harm's done," he said. "He was stunned for the moment; he is coming round." And in confirmation of his words Sir Blaise opened his eyes, and then with difficulty sat up and stared ruefully at Evander. "Gogs!" he said, first rubbing his head and then looking at his reddened palm. "Gogs! That was a swinging snip. I am as dizzy as a winged pigeon." "Let me help you to rise," Evander said, courteously. Blaise shook his aching head. "I am none too fluttered to find my feet," he asserted, ignoring the fact that his rising from the ground to an erect posture was entirely due to the combined efforts of Halfman and Evander, one on each side, and then, when he did get to his feet, he was only able to retain the perpendicular by leaning heavily upon Halfman as a steady prop. From under his bandaged forehead his pale-blue eyes regarded Evander with no trace of enmity. "Your hand, Puritan--your hand!" he cried. "'Tis just that we clasp hands after a scuffle."