fearing, to lie beside his dead father and
brother. He knew he was the superior of both in strength and skill,
and his knowledge of men and the noble art told him they had each been
the superior of Judson; but the fellow's hand seemed to be the hand of
death. An opening came through Judson's unskilful play, which gave
young Brandon an opportunity for a thrust to kill, but his blade, like
his father's and brother's, bent double without penetrating. Unlike
the others, however, it did not break, and the thrust revealed the
fact that Judson's skill as a duelist lay in a shirt of mail which it
was useless to try to pierce. Aware of this, Brandon knew that victory
was his, and that soon he would have avenged the murders that had gone
before. He saw that his adversary was strong neither in wind nor arm,
and had not the skill to penetrate his guard in a week's trying, so he
determined to fight on the defensive until Judson's strength should
wane, and then kill him when and how he chose.

After a time Judson began to breathe hard and his thrusts to lack
force.

"Boy, I would spare you," he said; "I have killed enough of your
tribe; put up your sword and call it quits."

Young Brandon replied: "Stand your ground, you coward; you will be a
dead man as soon as you grow a little weaker; if you try to run I will
thrust you through the neck as I would a cur. Listen how you snort. I
shall soon have you; you are almost gone. You would spare me, would
you? I could preach a sermon or dance a hornpipe while I am killing
you. I will not break my sword against your coat of mail, but will
wait until you fall from weakness and then.... Fight, you bloodhound!"

Judson was pale from exhaustion, and his breath was coming in gasps as
he tried to keep the merciless sword from his throat. At last, by a
dexterous twist of his blade, Brandon sent Judson's sword flying
thirty feet away. The fellow started to run, but turned and fell upon
his knees to beg for life. Brandon's reply was a flashing circle of
steel, and his sword point cut lengthwise through Judson's eyes and
the bridge of his nose, leaving him sightless and hideous for life. A
revenge compared to which death would have been merciful.

The duel created a sensation throughout the kingdom, for although
little was known as to who Judson was, his fame as a duelist was as
broad as the land. He had been at court upon several occasions, and,
at one time, upon the king's birthday, had fought