curb them in, left the crowd, and advanced toward him.

"At this moment an instinctive movement among both masses took place; so
that when Grimes had come within a few yards of Kelly, both parties were
within two or three perches of them. Kelly was standing, apparently off
his guard, with one hand thrust carelessly into the breast pocket of
his waistcoat, and the cudgel in the other; but his eye was fixed calmly
upon Grimes as he approached. They were both powerful, fine men--brawny,
vigorous, and active; Grimes had somewhat the advantage of the other in
height; he also fought with his left hand, from which circumstance
he was nicknamed Kitlhouge. He was a man of a dark, stern-looking
countenance; and the tones of his voice were deep, sullen, and of
appalling strength.

"As they approached each other, the windows on each side of the street
were crowded; but there was not a breath to be heard in any direction,
nor from either party. As for myself, my heart palpitated with anxiety.
What they might have felt I do not know: but they must have experienced
considerable apprehension; for as they were both the champions of their
respective parties, and had never before met in single encounter, their
characters depended on the issue of the contest.

"'Well, Grimes,' said Denis, 'sure I've often wished for this same
meetin,' man, betune myself and you; I have what you're goin' to get,
_in_ for you this long time; but you'll get it now, avick, plase God--'

"'It was not to scould I came, you Popish, ribly rascal,' replied
Grimes, 'but to give you what you're long--'

"Ere the word had been out of his mouth, however, Kelly sprung over to
him; and making a feint, as if he intended to lay the stick on his ribs,
he swung it past without touching him and, bringing it round his own
head like lightning, made it tell with a powerful back-stroke, right on
Grimes's temple, and in an instant his own face was sprinkled with the
blood which sprung from the wound. Grimes staggered forwards towards his
antagonist, seeing which, Kelly sprung back, and was again meeting him
with full force, when Grimes, turning a little, clutched Kelly's stick
in his right hand, and being left-handed himself, ere the other could
wrench the cudgel from him, he gave him a terrible blow upon the back
part of the head, which laid Kelly in the dust.

"There was then a deafening shout from the Orange party; and Grimes
stood until Kelly should be in the act of ris