THE SMUGGLER. 153 



thing, and the young baronet replied ; Mr. Radford rejoined, 

 and Digby answered the rejoinder. Then some new obser- 

 vation was made by the other, which seemed to cause Sir 

 Edward to look round to the house, and, seeing Mr. Croyland 

 and his sister still on the step, to make a sign for young 

 Radford to follow to a greater distance. The latter, however, 

 planted the heel of his boot tight in the gravel, as if to give 

 emphasis to what he said, and uttered a sentence in a louder 

 tone, and with a look so fierce, meaning, and contemptuous, 

 that Mr. Croyland saw the matter was getting serious, and 

 stepped forward to interfere. 



In an instant, however, Sir Edward Digby, apparently 

 provoked beyond bearing, raised the heavy horsewhip which 

 he had in his hand, and laid it three or four times, with great 

 rapidity, over Mr. Radford's shoulders. The young man 

 instantly dropped his own whip, drew his sword, and made a 

 fierce lunge at the young officer's breast. The motion was 

 so rapid, and the thrust so well aimed, that Digby had barely 

 time to put it aside with his riding- whip, receiving a wound 

 in his left shoulder as he did so. But the next moment his 

 sword was also out of the sheath, and, after three sharp 

 passes, young Radford's blade was flying over the neighbour- 

 ing hedge, and a blow in the face from the hilt of Sir Edward 

 Digby 's weapon brought him with his knee to the ground. 



The whole of this scene passed as quick as lightning; and 

 I have not thought fit to interrupt the narration for the pur- 

 pose of recording, in order, the four, several, piercing shrieks 

 with which Mrs. Barbara Croyland accompanied each act of 

 the drama. The first, however, was loud enough to call Zara 

 from the garden, even before she had found her sister; and 

 she came up to her aunt's side just at the moment that young 

 Radford was disarmed, and then struck in the face by his 

 opponent. 



Slightly heated, Sir Edward gazed at him with his weapon 

 in his hand; and the young lady clasping her hands, exclaimed 

 aloud: " Hold, Sir Edward! Sir Edward, for Heaven's sakel" 



Sir Edward Digby turned round with a faint smile, thrust 

 his sword back into the sheath, and without bestowing another 

 word on his adversary, walked slowly back to the door of the 

 house, and apologized to Mrs. Barbara for what had occurred, 

 saying, " I beg you ten thousand pardons, my dear madam, 



