wn tolerably light--we heard them calling to and fro
from the ditch, and just as Allertssohn was turning away, an officer
sprang into the meadow, exclaiming: 'Stand, braggart, and draw your
blade.'

"The captain drew his Brescian sword, bowed to his enemy as if he were in
the fencing-school, bent the steel and closed with the Castilian. The
latter was a thin man of stately figure and aristocratic bearing, and as
it soon appeared, a dangerous foe. He circled like a whirlwind, round the
captain with bounds, thrusts and feints, but Allertssohn maintained his
composure, and at first confined himself to skilful parrying. Then he
dealt a magnificent quarte, and when the other parried it, followed with
the tierce, and this being warded off, gave with the speed of lightning a
side-thrust such as only he can deal. The Castilian fell on his knees,
for the Brescian blade had pierced his lungs. His death was speedy.

"As soon as he lay on the turf, the Spaniards again rushed upon us, but
we repulsed them and took the officer's body in our midst. Never have I
seen the captain so proud and happy. You, Junker von Warmond, can easily
guess the cause. He had now done honor to his series in a genuine duel
against an enemy of equal rank, and told me this was the happiest morning
of his life. Then he ordered us to march round the ditch and attack the
enemy on the flank. But scarcely had we begun to move, when the expected
troops from Leyderdorp pressed forward, their loud San Jago resounding
far and wide, while at the same time the old enemy rose from the ditch
and attacked us. Allertssohn rushed forward, but did not reach them--oh,
gentlemen! I shall never forget it, a bullet struck him down at my side.
It probably pierced his heart, for he said: nothing but: 'Remember the
boy!' stretched out his powerful frame and died. We wanted to bear his
body away with us, but were pressed by superior numbers, and it was hard
enough to come within range of Junker von Warmond's volunteers. The
Spaniards did not venture so far. Here we are. The Castilian's body is
lying in the tower at the Hohenort Gate. These are the papers we found in
the dead man's doublet, and this is his ring; he has a proud escutcheon."

Peter Van der Werff took the dead man's letter-case in his hand, looked
through it and said: "His name was Don Luis d Avila."

He said no more, for his wife had seen Henrica's head stretched far out
of the window, and cried loudly in terror: "F