With a feeling of undisguised indignation, he exclaimed, as the outlaw turned furiously upon him-- "Wretch--what would you?
Have you not done enough?
would you strike the unresisting man ?" Rivers, with undisguised effort, now turned his rage upon the intruder.
His words, choked by passion, could scarce find utterance; but he spoke with furious effort at length, as he directed a wild blow with a battle-axe at the head of the youth.
"You come for your death, and you shall have it!".
"Not yet," replied Ralph, adroitly avoiding the stroke and closing with the ruffian--"you will find that I an not unequal to the struggle, though it be with such a monster as yourself." What might have been the event of this combat may not be said.

The parties were separated in a moment by the interposition of Forrester, but not till our hero, tearing off in the scuffle the handkerchief which had hitherto encircled the cheeks of his opponent, discovered the friendly outlaw who collected toll for the Pony Club, and upon whose face the hoof of his horse was most visibly engraven--who had so boldly avowed his design upon his life and purse, and whom he had so fortunately and successfully foiled on his first approach to the village.
The fight was over after this catastrophe; the survivors of the guard, who were unhurt, had fled; and the parties with little stir were all now assembled around the scene of it.

There was little said upon the occasion.

The wounded were taken such care of as circumstances would permit; and wagons having been provided, were all removed to the village.

Begun with too much impulse, and conducted with too little consideration, the struggle between the military and the outlaws had now terminated in a manner that left perhaps but little satisfaction in the minds of either party.