glowing eyes and white
faces the prowess of their champions. For minutes they watched the
conflict with fear and pride combined. When seven or eight minutes had
passed and the champions had not slain all their enemies, some degree of
terror arose in the minds of the young ladies,--terror lest their
knights be overpowered by numbers or become exhausted by slaying,--and
they looked about for aid. Lars, remembering what Jarvis had said, urged
the ladies to get into the carriage and be driven out of danger. They
repelled his advice with scorn. Jane said:--"I won't stir a step until
the men can go with us!"

Jessie said never a word, but she darted forward toward the fighting
men, stooped, picked up a fallen club, and was back in an instant.
Mounting quickly to the box, she said:--"I can hold the horses. Don't
you think you can help the men, Lars?"

"I'd like to try, miss," and the coachman's coat was off in a trice and
the club in his hand. He was none too soon!

Jane, who had mounted the box with Jessie, cried, "Look out, Jack!"
just as a heavy stone crashed against the back of his head. Some brute
in the crowd had sent it with all his force. The stone broke through the
Derby hat and opened a wide gash in Jack's scalp, and sent him to the
ground with a thousand stars glittering before his eyes. Jane gave a sob
and covered her eyes. Jessie swayed as though she would fall, but she
never took her eyes from the fallen man; her lips moved, but she said
nothing; and her face was ghastly white. Jarvis heard the dull thud
against Jack's head and knew that he was falling. Whirling swiftly, he
stopped a savage blow that was aimed at the stricken man, and with a
back-handed cut laid the striker low.

"All right, Jack; keep down till the stars are gone." He stood with one
sturdy leg on each side of Jack's body and his big club made a charmed
circle about him. It was not more than twenty seconds before the wheels
were out of Jack's head and he was on his feet again, though not quite
steady.

Jack's fall had given courage to the gang, and they made a furious
attack upon Jarvis, who was now alone and not a little impeded by the
friend at his feet. As Jack struggled to his legs, a furious blow
directed at him was parried by Jarvis's left arm,--his right being busy
guarding his own head. The blow was a fearful one; it broke the small
bone in the forearm, beat down the guard, and came with terrible force
upon poor Jack's left shoulde