them that hadn't the heart to fight; I have hearn that of you,
and, as I live, I believe it. Now, look out for your bull head, for I
will cuff you in spite of your pistols."

With these words, Horse Shoe gave his adversary some half dozen
overpowering blows, in such quick succession as utterly defied and broke
down the others guard; and then, seizing him by the breast, he threw the
tall and stalwart form of Curry at full length upon the ground.

"There's your two ells for you! there's the art of menstirration, you
disgrace to the tail of a drum," exclaimed Horse Shoe, with accumulating
wrath, as the prostrate man strove to extricate himself from the lion
grasp that held him. In this strife, Curry several times made an effort
to get his hand upon his pistol, in which he was constantly foiled by
the superior vigor of the sergeant.

"No, no," continued the latter, as he became aware of this attempt,
"James Curry, you shall never lay hold upon your fire-arms whilst I have
the handling of you. Give them up, you twisting prevaricationer; give
them up, you disgracer of powder and lead; and larn this from a rebel,
that I don't blow out your brains, only because I wouldn't accommodate
the devil by flinging such a lump of petrifaction into his clutches.
There, man," he added, as he threw the pistols far from him into the
river, his exasperation, at the same time, moderating to a lower
temperature, "get upon your feet; and now, you may go hunt for your
cronies in yonder running stream. You may count it a marcy that I
haven't tossed you after them, to wash the cowardly blood off your face.
Now that you are upon your legs, I tell you here, in the moonlight, man
to man, with nobody by to hold back your hand, that you are a lying,
deceitful skulker, that loves the dark side of a wall better than the
light, and steals the secrets of honest folks, and hasn't the heart to
stand up fairly to the man that tells you of it. Swallow that, James
Curry, and see how it will lay upon your stomach."

"I will seek a time!" exclaimed Curry, "to right myself with your
heart's blood."

"Pshaw! man," replied Horse Shoe, "don't talk about heart's blood. The
next time we come into a field together, ax for Galbraith Robinson,
commonly called Horse Shoe Robinson. Find me out, that's all. We may
take a frolic together then, and I give you my allowance to wear your
pistols in your belt."

"We may find a field yet, Horse Shoe Robinson," returned Curry,