THE BARONET'S DAUGHTER. 451 



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since I wore a beard upon my chin, aye, or before that, too, who 

 wronged Robert Aylmer, and escaped unpunished. Here, Sir, are 



two swords, the lengths are equal, take one." 



" What do you mean?" exclaimed Willoughby in surprise. 



" You shall know in good time," said' the baronet, as he delibe- 

 rately unsheathed one of the weapons, " here, take your sword, Sir, 

 and defend yourself." 



" I will not fight with you," said Willoughby coolly, as he accepted 

 the sword, and laid it upon a chair, " nor can you provoke me, Sir, 

 to raise a hand against you. Command yourself; this is madness." 



"Ha! a coward too," cried the baronet with a sneer, " a coward, 

 too," he repeated, "your father, Mr. Willoughby, would have spurned 

 you for this." 



" I am no coward, Sir Robert," said Willoughby reddening, and 

 he took up the sword. " Hear me, Sir, I am skilful at this weapon, 

 I am younger than yourself." 



" Tut, tut, boy," cried the baronet contemptuously, "you shall not 

 escape chastisement by bravado, the coward's last resort, I also am 

 skilful at this weapon, or was, before that hand of yours could poise 

 a bulrush." 



" I do not question, and I will not witness your skill to-day, Sir 

 Robert," said Willoughby ; " I have no quarrel with you, I love and 

 I respect you. You are my father-in-law." 



"Liar!" cried the baronet, " that tie has been dissolved. Your 

 valour, Willoughby," said he, as he approached him, u is a sluggish 

 beast, and must be roused, I see. Now, Sir, will you fight me T 9 

 and he struck the other violently with the flat part of his weapon. 



" Ha !" cried Willoughby, drawing his sword hastily, " this must 

 not be, Sir, this must not be ; but no, I will not revenge this now, I 

 stand upon my defence, no more." 



" Come, this is well, this is well," said the baronet with a grim 

 smile, as Willoughby placed himself in attitude ; " now, Sir, defend 

 yourself," and with his teeth firmly set together, and a kindling eye, 

 the baronet struck his foot upon the floor, and crossed the sword of 

 his antagonist with his own. 



The baronet commenced the assault with great coolness and deter- 

 mination, but after a few ineffectual passes, the colour came upon 

 his brow, and the impatient twitching of his lip evinced that he would 

 soon lose the self-possession which had governed him at the first 

 onset. He felt that he had to do with an antagonist equal with him- 

 self in skill, and deriving great advantage from his superior command 

 of temper ; and this last conviction, as Willoughby put by his sword 

 at every pass with the air of one who defies and almost derides his 

 opponent, chafed him into almost ungovernable rage. 



" We must try another system with you, my young gentleman," 

 he cried as he retreated a few paces, and then advanced upon the 

 other with reckless fury ; " it is time we should bring this matter to 

 an issue." 



" I must wound you, even in my own defence I must wound you, 

 Sir Robert," exclaimed Willoughby, as the baronet pressed upon 

 him. " By heavens I think I touched you there," and as he spoke, 



