proffered, and after weighing it in his hand
and carefully examining its texture had set it up against the seat,
while he prepared to strip off his jerkin. Halfman assisted Sir
Blaise to extricate himself from his beribboned doublet, and the two
men faced each other in their shirts, Evander's linen fine and plain,
like all about him, Sir Blaise's linen fine and ostentatious, like
all about him, and reeking of ambergris. Evander was not a small man,
but his body seemed very slender by contrast with the well-nourished
bulk of the country-gentleman, and many a one would have held that
the match was strangely unequal. But Halfman did not think so, seeing
how deliberately Evander entered upon the enterprise, and even Sir
Blaise's self-conceit was troubled by his antagonist's alacrity in
accepting the challenge.

"If you tender me your grief for your insolence," he suggested, with
truculent condescension, "you will save yourself a basting."

Evander laughed outright, the blithest laugh that Halfman had yet
heard pass from his Puritan lips.

"I must deny you, pomposity," he answered, gayly. "It were pity to
postpone a pleasure."

"You are in the right," commented Halfman. "Come, sirs, enough words;
let us to deeds. Begin."

The sticks swung in the air and met with a crack, each man's hand
pressing his cudgel hard against the other's, each man's foot firm
and springing, each man's eyes seeking to read in the other's the
secret of his assault. Suddenly Blaise made a feint at Evander's leg
and then swashed for his head.

"Have a care for your crown," he shouted, confident in his stroke;
but Evander met the blow instantly and wood only rattled on wood.

"I have cared for it," he said, quietly, as he came on guard again,
making no attempt to return Sir Blaise's attack. Sir Blaise reversed
his tactics, feinted at Evander's head, and swept a furious
semicircle at Evander's legs.

"Save your shins, then," he cried, and grunted with rage as he again
encountered Evander's swiftly revolving staff and heard Evander
answer, mockingly:

"I have saved them."

Inarticulate fury goaded him. "I will play with you no longer!" he
growled, and made a rush for Evander, raining blow upon blow as
quickly as he could deliver them, and hoping to break down Evander's
guard. But Evander, giving ground a little before his antagonist's
onslaught, met the attacks with a mill-wheel revolution of his weapon
which kept him scatheless, and then su