ich had devolved upon him had added two
or three years to his apparent age. He was taller than most of his
countrymen, broad across the shoulders, and a match for any single
man under his command.

As he walked along, he heard the sound of a horse's footsteps,
coming up the valley. He sprang a short distance up the craggy
hillside, and then paused as a single horseman came in sight. As he
came a little nearer John saw, by the splendor of his armor, and
that of the horse he was riding, that he was an officer of rank and
distinction. John scorned to fly before a single foe, and stood
quietly watching him, till he came nearly abreast of him. The
horseman reined up his charger and, without a word, seized his
javelin and hurled it at the armed figure, standing on the hillside
some thirty feet above him. John sprang lightly aside, and the
missile struck the rock with a sharp clang, close to him. In
return, he threw a javelin at the Roman, which struck him on the
armor and fell, blunted.

"Well thrown!" the Roman said, calmly, and hurled a second javelin.

The stroke was too swift to avoid; but John threw up his buckler so
as to receive it at an angle, and the javelin glanced off, and flew
far up the hillside. This time John sprang down the rocks, with the
activity of a goat, till within a few feet of the Roman. Then he
threw his javelin at the horse, with so true an aim that it struck
at a spot unprotected by armor, and the animal fell.

With an exclamation of anger, the Roman threw himself off, as the
animal sank beneath his legs. He had already drawn his sword, as
John approached, and stood at once on the defensive. Without a
moment's hesitation John sprang at him, and the combat commenced.
John trusted to his activity, while the Roman had an immense
advantage in his heavy armor--John being unprotected, save by his
buckler. The Roman stood calm and confident, while John
attacked--moving quickly, round and round him; springing in to
deliver a blow, and then bounding out of reach of the sweep of the
heavy Roman sword. For some time the combat continued. John had
received two or three severe wounds while, although the Roman was
bleeding, his armor protected him from any serious hurt.

Suddenly John sprang in at the Roman, throwing himself with all his
force against him. He partially warded, with his sword, the blow
which the Roman struck at him as he came in; but his weapon was
beaten down, and the Roman blade cut throu