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The shock of the meeting came near to unseating him, and sent one of the foe sprawling, horse and man; Brian cut another to the chin and thrust the life from a third, and before the first sword had slithered on his steel-cap his men had swept aside the devoted fifteen, and he was riding on. O'Donnell had straightened his party for nothing. Now the Dark Master was riding for his life, and knew it.
"Where dwellest thou, young knave?" inquired the man with the largest steel-cap. "Over there," said Robert; and directly he had said it he knew he ought to have said "Yonder!" "Ha sayest so?" rejoined the longest boots. "Come hither, boy. This is matter for our leader." And to the leader Robert was dragged forthwith by the reluctant ear.
Then came the sharp clink of clashing steel, and a roar like that of an angry lion "Notre Dame Du Guesclin! St. Ives! St. Ives!" The bow-man pulled back the bolt of the door, and thrust out the headpiece at the end of the bow. A clash, the clatter of the steel-cap upon the ground, and, ere the man who struck could heave up for another blow, the archer had passed his sword through his body.
"Sometimes ye'll find them plain enough, but often they're rough green tracks, and nobody can tell ye when they were made. The moss-troopers wore them deeper when they rode with the spear and steel-cap to Solway sands. Afterwards came the drovers with their flocks and herds, the smugglers' pack-horse trains, and messengers to Prince Charlie's friends from Louis of France.
Zooks! he added in a cautious undertone, 'I misdoubt me but he beareth tidings to the besieged. 'Where dwellest thou, young knave? inquired the man with the largest steel-cap. 'Over there, said Robert; and directly he had said it he knew he ought to have said 'Yonder! 'Ha sayest so? rejoined the longest boots. 'Come hither, boy. This is a matter for our leader.
Margarita gazed hurriedly round, and at her feet there lay the Thier with his steel-cap shining in dints, and three rivulets of blood coursing down his mottled forehead. She looked again at the youth, and a blush of recognition gave life to her cheeks. 'I did not know you. Pardon me. Farina! what thanks can reward such courage! Tell me! shall we go?
Margarita gazed hurriedly round, and at her feet there lay the Thier with his steel-cap shining in dints, and three rivulets of blood coursing down his mottled forehead. She looked again at the youth, and a blush of recognition gave life to her cheeks. 'I did not know you. Pardon me. Farina! what thanks can reward such courage! Tell me! shall we go?
"And I know your Valour drank a mighty draught yourself out of my head-piece; not this silver bauble, but my steel-cap, which is twice as ample. By the same token, that whereas before you were giving orders to fall back, you were a changed man when you had cleared your throat of the dust, and cried, 'Bide the other brunt, my brave and stout boys of Britain!"
Had Julian been inclined for mirth, as was far from being the case, he must have smiled at the incongruity of the clerk's apparel, who had belted over his black buckram suit a buff baldric, sustaining a broadsword, and a pair of huge horse-pistols; and, instead of the low flat hat, which, coming in place of the city cap, completed the dress of a scrivener, had placed on his greasy locks a rusted steel-cap, which had seen Marston-Moor; across which projected his well-used quill, in the guise of a plume the shape of the morion not admitting of its being stuck, as usual, behind his ear.
Arms he carried, it is true; a sword and dagger at his belt, whilst beside him on the table stood a rusty steel-cap. But these warlike tools served only to give him the appearance of a roving masnadiero or a cut-throat for hire.
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