"Now will you want to hang her?" said Healy.

"I love her too dearly," said Beaujeu.

"Then God help her," said Mr Healy, and lay back watching the white hawk face.

CHAPTER XII

IN HOLBORN FIELDS

MR HEALY has left it upon record that M. de Beaujeu had always "a decent, natural affection for green fields." Also he "put a proper value on his own legs." So it seems they went often walking to the Islington pastures in that idle spring, and, returning one day across Holborn Fields, observed Mr Dane in a hurry westward bound.

"Romeo goes to his pure Juliet," said Beaujeu with an ugly laugh.

Mr Healy waited for it to end. Then, "And will you be jealous?" said he quietly.

"Jealous?

Who, I?" Beaujeu laughed. "But I'ld not have the boy tie himself to a draggled theatre wench."

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"Tis benevolent in you," said Healy, and suddenly gripped Beaujeu's arm and stopped him behind a hedge.

For Mr Dane had become part of a drama. Before him was a fellow in faded brocade with a draggled feather, and this hero had paused to

settle his dingy ruffles where all the road was muddy save for two feet's space by the hedge. Mr Dane had tried to slip round with an easy, By your favour, sir," when the faded hero started suddenly forward and pushed him into the mire.

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"Curse and confound me, sir," he cried. "Who a pox are you to jostle a King's officer?" "The jostling was of your own damned awkwardness, sir," cried Jack Dane.

“Death and hell, fellow! No man shall use such words to me!" and the faded hero put up his cane to strike.

Jack Dane caught it and slashed it across his eyes: "So begad! And now I am your man when and where you will."

The bully had staggered back and was rubbing his eyes and swearing. Jack Dane laughed.

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Beggar you, how do I know you're a man of honour?" growled the bully at last, still blinking.

"Faith, I should say you are little able to judge, sir."

"Enough, fellow, enough.

teach you manners!"

Oons, but I'll

Jack Dane bowed. "Where you have learnt them yourself, sir?" he enquired politely.

"So you shall never need them this side hell, sirrah."

"Oh, your humble servant without more words-Jack Dane I am, and you can hear of me at Locket's. Your friend will wait on me soon, doubtless," and with that he was going.

The bully caught his cloak: "Od's blood,

sirrah, do you cry off? Odso, you shall fight now or taste the cane!"

"As I tasted just now?

Well, sir, where

you will, and the quicker the better."

At once the bully became courteous: he smiled and bowed, and "I like to meet a gentleman," said he.

Behind the hedge Healy and Beaujeu exchanged glances.

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There is a very pleasant meadow fifty yards away, sir, if you will do me the favour," said the bully, and parodied the fashionable bow.

"Sure and we will," Mr Healy muttered.

The bully led the way. Jack Dane followed without a word. They turned off by a narrow muddy footpath across the fields, climbed a stile, and then the bully stopped and turned to Jack Dane. His red blotched face wore a grin. Mr Healy and Beaujeu, silent gentlemen of great experience, were again behind the hedge. "This will serve us, sir," said the bully with another bow to Jack.

t

Jack Dane looked round him. The sun was almost gone and the twilight shadows fell long and dark. On one side was a hazel copse, on the other the blackthorn hedge of Mr Healy, between the two a strip of dank grass. The bully watched him with anxious eye. "Well, sir, well!" he cried. My time is short!"

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Jack Dane flung off his coat: "Pray remember -'tis by your choice that we are alone," said he. Beaujeu and Healy grinned at each other.

The bully showed a broken set of teeth: "Do you cry off now, sir?" he asked, sneering. Jack

tossed down hat and coat and periwig, drew his sword and came forward bald and ready. More slowly the bully dropped his cloak, then clapped his hat firm on his head and saluted.

Jack stared. "Why, will you fight in your wig?" he cried.

"Twill do for you, sir," snarled the bully, "and

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Oho, oho," muttered Mr Healy, and Beaujeu and he, silent and swift, marched for the strategic position the stile.

The swords crossed and clashed. The bully kept his distance, breaking ground again and again. Jack Dane pressed on sharply and the bully fairly ran from him. But, "Rustic, mighty rustic," says Beaujeu critically, and "Sure we'll not be learning much here," quoth Mr Healy. But then from the hazel copse came the crash of bushes and trampling feet. Three men more rushed upon Jack Dane, who swung round and sprang away from them to the hedge.

Mr Healy trussed his cloak about his arm, vaulted the stile, and dashed in between the four points and Jack. Mr Healy's blue rapier whirled, a singing circle of light in the air, and the four bullies stumbled back, hampering each other. Mr Healy shook loose his cloak and flapped it in their faces, and sprang in under their points and pinked a sword-arm neatly, and was out of reach again in an instant. So Mr Healy, a giant of agility, and Jack Dane was for trying to copy Mr Healy's so simple deed, and had come doubtless to an end untimely but for Healy's cry of horror, "Be easy, now, will

you? Be easy! Don't flush my covey." He was himself feinting, had only three points against him (for one hero was cursing and binding his arm), and was vastly happy.

Towards the flicker of Mr Healy's blade M. de Beaujeu came delicately, swinging his cane. The wounded hero saw him, and "Damme, boys, it's a diddle!" he roared, and was the first to run. But the others stood on no order in their going. They turned together and fled, Mr Healy and Jack hotfoot on their heels, to the copse.

M. de Beaujeu was left in the midst swinging his cane. He heard some stamping, some oaths, then the gallop of horses. Then Mr Healy came back laughing with his arm through Jack's. "Faith, Mr Dane, never look so glum! They have their in memoriam. Two arms and one in the ribs, begad!" He picked up the cloak of the departed bully and wiped the blood from his rapier.

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"I fear, Mr Dane, we intrude?" said Beaujeu. Why, well for me you did! But I wish to God we had caught them."

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And who were they?" says Mr Healy.

Zounds, I would give ten pounds to know." Well, do you know I could guess," says Mr Healy.

While Jack stared at him Beaujeu said coldly: "If you will take my advice, Mr Dane, you'll be pure of other men's women."

Jack Dane flushed. "What do you mean, sir?" he muttered.

Beaujeu shrugged his shoulders.

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""Tis no