felt
some resentment toward the fellow for forcing him into a duel with
rapiers.

To Frank it had seemed that the Virginian had no hesitation in taking
advantage of an enemy, for Diamond must have presumed that Merriwell
knew nothing of the art of fencing and swordplay.

But for this belief, Merriwell would have been inclined to keep on and
tire his enemy out, without striking a single blow that could leave a
mark.

But when Frank came to consider everything, he decided that it was no
more than fair that he should give his persistent foe a certain amount
of punishment.

Again and again Frank cross countered and upper-cut Diamond, and
gradually he came to strike harder as the Virginian forced the fighting,
without showing signs of letting up.

Bruises and swellings began to appear on Diamond's face. On one cheek
Merriwell's knuckles cut through the skin, and the blood began to run,
creeping down to his chin and dropping on the bosom of his white shirt.

Still, from the determination and fury with which he fought, it seemed
that Diamond was utterly unconscious that he had been struck at all.

Jack did not consider how he had led Frank into a duel with rapiers
without knowing whether the fellow he hated had ever taken a fencing
lesson in all his life.

His one thought was that, being an expert boxer himself, Merriwell had
forced him to a fist fight, believing it would be easy to dispose of him
that way.

Diamond's hatred of Frank made him blind to the fact that he was in the
least to blame, and filled him with a passionate belief that he could
kill the smiling Northerner without a qualm of conscience--without a
pang of remorse.

At last, disgusted with his non-success in striking Frank at all, he
sprang forward suddenly and grappled with him.

Frank had been on the watch for that move.

Then the boys saw a pretty struggle for a moment, ending with Diamond
being lifted and dropped heavily, squarely on his back.

Merriwell came down heavily on his persistent enemy.

Frank fell on Jack with the hope of knocking the wind out of the fellow
and thus bringing the fight to a close.

For a few moments it seemed that he had succeeded.

Frank sprang up lightly, just as Tad Horner grappled him by the hair
with both hands and yelled: "Break away!"

Roland Ditson was at Diamond's side in a twinkling.

"Come, come, old man!" he whispered; "get up and get into the game
again! Don't let them count you out!"

But