the hood of his mantle over the silver ornament;
and while thus occupied, he heard not a step emerging from a lane at his
rear, when suddenly a heavy hand was placed on his shoulder. He started,
turned, and before him stood a man, whose aspect and dress betokened
little to lessen the alarm of the uncourteous salutation. Marmaduke's
dagger was bare on the instant.

"And what wouldst thou with me?" he asked.

"Thy purse and thy dagger!" answered the stranger.

"Come and take them," said the Nevile, unconscious that he uttered a
reply famous in classic history, as he sprang backward a step or so, and
threw himself into an attitude of defence. The stranger slowly raised
a rude kind of mace, or rather club, with a ball of iron at the end,
garnished with long spikes, as he replied, "Art thou mad eno' to fight
for such trifles?"

"Art thou in the habit of meeting one Englishman who yields his goods
without a blow to another?" retorted Marmaduke. "Go to! thy club does
not daunt me." The stranger warily drew back a step, and applied a
whistle to his mouth. The Nevile sprang at him, but the stranger warded
off the thrust of the poniard with a light flourish of his heavy weapon;
and had not the youth drawn back on the instant, it had been good-night
and a long day to Marmaduke Nevile. Even as it was, his heart beat
quick, as the whirl of the huge weapon sent the air like a strong wind
against his face. Ere he had time to renew his attack, he was suddenly
seized from behind, and found himself struggling in the arms of two men.
From these he broke, and his dagger glanced harmless against the tough
jerkin of his first assailant. The next moment his right arm fell to his
side, useless and deeply gashed. A heavy blow on the head--the moon,
the stars reeled in his eyes--and then darkness,--he knew no more. His
assailants very deliberately proceeded to rifle the inanimate body, when
one of them, perceiving the silver badge, exclaimed, with an oath, "One
of the rampant Neviles! This cock at least shall crow no more." And
laying the young man's head across his lap, while he stretched back the
throat with one hand, with the other he drew forth a long sharp knife,
like those used by huntsmen in despatching the hart. Suddenly, and in
the very moment when the blade was about to inflict the fatal gash, his
hand was forcibly arrested, and a man, who had silently and unnoticed
joined the ruffians, said in a stern whisper, "Rise and depart fro