he
combatants might see, the triangular-bladed weapons began to give forth
that peculiar harsh gritting sound of two steel edges rasping together.

The encounter was but short, for, relying upon the superior strength of
his arm, and determined to punish his slight young adversary in revenge
for the past, the captain pressed hard upon him, lunging rapidly with
all the vigour he could command, his intention being to drive his
antagonist backward against one or other of the walls and pin him there.
But he had reckoned without his host, for though Denis was no
long-practised swordsman, Leoni's lessons had not been without their
effect, and as thrust after thrust was lightly turned aside, the young
esquire firmly stood his ground, merely stepping sideways and letting
his adversary's baffled blade glide by his slight form, while refraining
from thrusting again and again when the burly captain had laid himself
so open that he was quite at the lad's mercy.

"Oh," growled the captain at the end of a couple of minutes' encounter,
and he drew back to rest. "That is your play, is it? You refuse to be
disarmed when I have mercifully shown myself disposed to let you off
without a scratch."

"Your tongue is sharper than your sword, sir," said the boy scornfully;
"and it is worse. It is poisoned, for every word you have spoken is a
lie."

"What!" cried the captain, enraged by the low murmur uttered by the
grooms as if endorsing the young esquire's words. "More insolent than
ever! Give up your sword, or, by Heaven, I'll send you back to the
castle upon a litter."

"Send me, then," said the lad contemptuously, "or be prepared to go
yourself."

"Bah! No more words. Come on," cried the captain; and he prepared to
attack once more.

"My turn now," whispered the boy to himself, "and it is time;" for in
his excitement he fancied that he could hear steps approaching. But
there was not a sound save the gritting of the rapiers and the captain's
hoarse panting breath as he uttered a loud expiration at every thrust.

For in his turn, in spite of his determination to make this second
encounter an attack, and force his young adversary to remain entirely on
his guard, the retort had begun, and before a minute had elapsed he
uttered a sharp ejaculation as he felt the sharp pain caused by the
lad's keen point ripping open his muscular right arm. Stung now with
rage, hatred, and the determination to have revenge, he literally rushed