So that,
taking all in all, I continued marching behind him, much as a man
follows the hangman, and certainly with no more hope.
We went about the end of the long craigs, and came into the
Hunter's Bog. Here, on a piece of fair turf, my adversary drew.
There was nobody there to see us but some birds; and no resource
for me but to follow his example, and stand on guard with the best
face I could display. It seems it was not good enough for Mr.
Dancansby, who spied some flaw in my manoeuvres, paused, looked
upon me sharply, and came off and on, and menaced me with his blade
in the air. As I had seen no such proceedings from Alan, and was
besides a good deal affected with the proximity of death, I grew
quite bewildered, stood helpless, and could have longed to run
away.
"Fat deil ails her?" cries the lieutenant.
And suddenly engaging, he twitched the sword out of my grasp and
sent it flying far among the rushes.
Twice was this manoeuvre repeated; and the third time when I
brought back my humiliated weapon, I found he had returned his own
to the scabbard, and stood awaiting me with a face of some anger,
and his hands clasped under his skirt.
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