ndous strength was unable to crush Fatia Negra. The
herdsman might perhaps have been a little exhausted by his swift run,
but the robber was skilful and opposed a steel-like elasticity to the
herdsman's massive weight.

"Now the one, now the other was forced down upon his knee, only to bound
instantly back again. The grass was rooted up by their stamping feet.
Tightly embraced, with straining shoulders, with their fists tearing at
each other's bodies, their faces were pressed so closely together that
the two heads seemed but one.

"Now and then they would pause for an instant to take breath and at such
times would gasp out short, fierce words.

"'Who are you?' growled Juon. 'Who are you that you can resist the arm
of Juon Tare? Who are you that Juon Tare cannot put to silence?'

"'What is it you want, you fool?' the robber gasped back. 'Has that two
hundred ducats, the price set on my head, tempted you? Is that why you
want to catch me? Let me go, and I will give you five hundred.'

"'I will not let you go. I want neither your money, nor yet the money of
the magistrates. Your destruction is all that I want. You should not
escape from these hands if you were thrice a devil.'

"'We will see.'

"And again the tussle began. Each of the two men put forth all his
strength against his adversary. Fatia Negra's garments split into rags,
the blood spouted from his shoulders where Juon had worried him with his
sharp teeth like a wild beast. Not another word did they now speak, only
their panting sobs were to be heard like the snorting of two wild boars
as they dragged and dashed each other up and down on the sward.

"I was obliged to restrain Mariora violently from rushing to her
husband's assistance. She would only have distracted his attention. And
besides I would not have it so. Let the men fight it out, I thought.
They are a well matched pair."

"Then you still love Fatia Negra?" enquired Henrietta sadly.

The girl blushed.--"I love him, yes,--and therefore he must die."

She went on:

"'At that moment he was like a magician battling with a giant. The other
was half a head taller than he, and the muscles of his arms stood out
like the rugged bark of an oak's trunk. Black Mask was much the slimmer.
But every muscle in his frame seemed made of steel. His gigantic
adversary might pitch and toss him wherever he pleased, he always fell
on his feet; nor was the other ever able, squeeze as he might, to
disjoint his arms