St. George at the Dragon), upon the
other, when that individual, thinking discretion the better part of
valor, instantaneously turned tail and fled. The whole brisk little
episode had not occupied five minutes, and Sir Norman was scarcely aware
the fight had began before it had triumphantly ended.

"Short, sharp, and decisive!" was the stranger's cool criticism, as he
deliberately wiped his blood-stained sword, and placed it in a velvet
scabbard. "Our friends, there, got more than they bargained for, I
fancy. Though, but for you, Sir," he said, politely raising his hat and
bowing, "I should probably have been ere this in heaven, or--the other
place."

Sir Norman, deeply edified by the easy sang-froid of the speaker, turned
to take a second look at him. There was very little light; for the night
had grown darker as it wore on, and the few stars that had glimmered
faintly had hid their diminished heads behind the piles of inky clouds.
Still, there was a sort of faint phosphorescent light whitening the
gloom, and by it Sir Norman's keen bright eyes discovered that he wore
a long dark cloak and slouched hat. He discovered something else,
too--that he had seen that hat and cloak, and the man inside of them on
London Bridge, not an hour before. It struck Sir Norman there was a sort
of fatality in their meeting; and his pulses quickened a trifle, as he
thought that he might be speaking to the husband of the lady for whom
he had so suddenly conceived such a rash and inordinate attachment. That
personage meantime having reloaded his pistol, with a self-possession
refreshing to witness, replaced it in his doublet, gathered up the
reins, and, glancing slightly at his companion, spoke again,

"I should thank you for saving my life, I suppose, but thanking people
is so little in my line, that I scarcely know how to set about it.
Perhaps, my dear sir, you will take the will for the deed."

"An original, this," thought Sir Norman, "whoever he is." Then aloud:
"Pray don't trouble yourself about thanks, sir, I should have dome
precisely the same for the highwaymen, had you been three to one over
them."

"I don't doubt it in the least; nevertheless I feel grateful, for you
have saved my life all the same, and you have never seen me before."

"There you are mistaken," said Sir Norman, quietly "I had the pleasure
of seeing you scarce an hour ago."

"Ah!" said the stranger, in an altered tone, "and where?"

"On London Bridge."

"