his brain and steady his hand; and he intends to stop Don
Guzman Maria Magdalena Sotomayor de Soto's wooing for ever and a day.
The Spaniard is in a very different mood; fierce and haggard, he is
pacing up and down the sand. He intends to kill Will Cary; but then?
Will he be the nearer to Rose by doing so? Can he stay in Bideford?
Will she go with him? Shall he stoop to stain his family by marrying a
burgher's daughter? It is a confused, all but desperate business; and
Don Guzman is certain but of one thing, that he is madly in love with
this fair witch, and that if she refuse him, then, rather than see her
accept another man, he would kill her with his own hands.

Sir Richard Grenville too is in no very pleasant humor, as St. Leger
soon discovers, when the two seconds begin whispering over their
arrangements.

"We cannot have either of them killed, Arthur."

"Mr. Cary swears he will kill the Spaniard, sir."

"He sha'n't. The Spaniard is my guest. I am answerable for him to Leigh,
and for his ransom too. And how can Leigh accept the ransom if the man
is not given up safe and sound? They won't pay for a dead carcass, boy!
The man's life is worth two hundred pounds."

"A very bad bargain, sir, for those who pay the said two hundred for
the rascal; but what if he kills Cary?"

"Worse still. Cary must not be killed. I am very angry with him, but he
is too good a lad to be lost; and his father would never forgive us. We
must strike up their swords at the first scratch."

"It will make them very mad, sir."

"Hang them! let them fight us then, if they don't like our counsel. It
must be, Arthur."

"Be sure, sir," said Arthur, "that whatsoever you shall command I shall
perform. It is only too great an honor to a young man as I am to find
myself in the same duel with your worship, and to have the advantage of
your wisdom and experience."

Sir Richard smiles, and says--"Now, gentlemen! are you ready?"

The Spaniard pulls out a little crucifix, and kisses it devoutly,
smiting on his breast; crosses himself two or three times, and
says--"Most willingly, senor."

Cary kisses no crucifix, but says a prayer nevertheless.

Cloaks and doublets are tossed off, the men placed, the rapiers measured
hilt and point; Sir Richard and St. Leger place themselves right and
left of the combatants, facing each other, the points of their drawn
swords on the sand. Cary and the Spaniard stand for a moment quite
upright, their sword-arm