"You come for your death, and you shall have it!".
"Not yet," replied Ralph, adroitly avoiding the stroke and closing with
the ruffian--"you will find that I an not unequal to the struggle,
though it be with such a monster as yourself."
What might have been the event of this combat may not be said. The
parties were separated in a moment by the interposition of Forrester,
but not till our hero, tearing off in the scuffle the handkerchief which
had hitherto encircled the cheeks of his opponent, discovered the
friendly outlaw who collected toll for the Pony Club, and upon whose
face the hoof of his horse was most visibly engraven--who had so boldly
avowed his design upon his life and purse, and whom he had so
fortunately and successfully foiled on his first approach to the
village.
The fight was over after this catastrophe; the survivors of the guard,
who were unhurt, had fled; and the parties with little stir were all now
assembled around the scene of it. There was little said upon the
occasion.
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