ounter hostilities. In addition to his pistols, which
were well charged, and conveniently at hand, we may now add that he
carried another weapon, for close quarters, concealed in his bosom. The
appearance of the stranger was not, however, so decided a manifestation
of hostility, as to justify his acting with any haste by the premature
use of his defences. Besides, no man of sense, and such we take our
traveller to be, will force a quarrel where he can make his way
peacefully, like a Christian and a gentleman. Our young traveller very
quietly observed as he approached the stranger--

"You scare my horse, sir. Will it please you to give us the road?"

"Give you the road?--Oh! yes! when you have paid the toll, young
master!"

The manner of the man was full of insolence, and the blood, in a moment,
rushed to the cheeks of the youth. He divined, by instinct, that there
was some trouble in preparation for him, and his teeth were silently
clenched together, and his soul nerved itself for anticipated conflict.
He gazed calmly, however, though sternly, at the stranger, who appeared
nothing daunted by the expression in the eyes of the traveller. His air
was that of quiet indifference, bordering on contempt, as if he knew his
duties, or his man, and was resolved upon the course he was appointed to
pursue. When men meet thus, if they are persons of even ordinary
intelligence, the instincts are quick to conceive and act, and the youth
was now more assured than ever, that the contest awaited him which
should try his strength. This called up all his resources, and we may
infer that he possessed them in large degree, from his quiet forbearance
and deliberation, even when he became fully sensible of the insolence of
the person with whom he felt about to grapple.

As yet, however, judging from other appearances, there was no violence
meditated by the stranger. He was simply insolent, and he was in the
way. He carried no weapons--none which met the sight, at least, and
there was nothing in his personal appearance calculated to occasion
apprehension. His frame was small, his limbs slight, and they did not
afford promise of much activity. His face was not ill favored, though a
quick, restless black eye, keen and searching, had in it a lurking
malignity, like that of a snake, which impressed the spectator with
suspicion at the first casual glance. His nose, long and sharp, was
almost totally fleshless; the skin being drawn so tightly over