The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-26 00:00:00

A GALLANT ENCOUNTER.

" Have I the honour of addressing MacGregor of Inver-
snaid ?" said he, politely lifting his hat when within 10
paces of Rob Roy, who replied sternly—
" I am MacGregor. Had you styled me by another
name than that which my father left me, I would have
killed you on the instant. And you—"

" I am Sir James Livingstone. I have nothing to do
with the laws which seek the suppression of your name and

the destruction of your clan, save that I reprobate them;
but I demand by what right you have broken the King's
peace, and come thither in arms to plunder a peaceful dis.
trict ?"

" For three sufficient causes," replied Rob; "first, I have
the old Highland right by which we can at any time make
a warlike inroad on our enemies, which the Buchanans of
Kippen and Arnprior have been since that black day in
Glentruin ; secondly, I break the peace of him you name a
king because I deem him a Dutch usurper; and thirdly, I
take from cowards that which they have not the heart to
defend."

" I regret to hear all this," replied Sir James, persua-
sively, " for there will be much blood shed, MacGregor, it
you do not yield up the spoil your people have collected."
" Yield it—to whom P" asked MacGregor, loftily.
" To me."

" Little care we for bloodshed," said the other, bitterly ;
"your foreign kings and Lowland laws have made Clan
Alpine like the Arabs of the desert, whose hands are against
all men, because the hands of all men are uplifted against
them. Yet I, personally, have no wish to slay any of your
people. You are a gentleman and a soldier, whose charac-
ter I value and honour; thus, if you choose, I will fight
with you here, hand to hand, with target and claymore, in
front of our men, and the spoil shall belong to him who
draws the first blood.',

"Agreed," replied Sir James, sternly; but, though ex-
pert enough in the use of the sword, I am unused to such a
defence as the target."
"That shall be no hindrance," said Rob, as he handed to
MacAleister his round shield, which was composed of triple
bull's-hide, stretched over wood, covered with antique
brass bosses, and had a long spike of steel screwed into its
centre.

The friends of Sir James now crowded around him, and
bade him be wary, and remember the vast strength of Rob
Roy; the great skill he possessed, the weight of his sword,
and the advantage his length of arm gave him over others.
These warnings were not without effect on Sir James, who
was too brave to be without prudence. He came forward,
and, lifting his little three-cocked hat, the edge of which
was bound with feathers, like these of all the officers who
served in King William's war, he said,—
" I agree to meet you, MacGregor, as a gentleman, on
the distinct understanding that the entire spoil shall remain
with him who is fortunate enough to draw the first blood;
but, as being the person challenged, I claim the right to
choose my weapon, and for many reasons prefer the pistol."
" Be it so," replied Rob, laughing, as Sir James divested
himself of his glittering cuirass : "I am not an old trooper
like you, yet am a good marksman, nevertheless."
" Are your pistols loaded ?"

.. _
" The pistols of a MacGregor are seldom otherwise, in
Lhese times," said Rob, as his countenance darkened ;

and yours ?
"Aro loaded, too."

"Shall we fire together, or toss up for the first shot ?"
asked MacGregor.
" We will toss for the first shot, if you please," replied
Liviugstone, who, aware that he was a deadly marksman,
and had fought several duels in France and Flanders with
terrible success, had no fears as to the result, if the lot fell
to him.

" Then, Sir James, toss for me, but remain where you
are," said MacGregor, with indifference:
"Awl you will take my word tor the coin—for the re-
sult!" exclaimed Livingstone, with something of admiration
in his tone and face.
" Had I doubted your word, I would not fight with you.
On equal terms I meet none but gentlemen."
A servant of Sir James, a man in livery, armed with a
musket, now came hastily forward to suggest come trickery,
which his master repelled with scorn—even with anger.
lle threw up the coin—a cr3VOl piece; it glittered in the
air, and then fell on the grass.

"A head 1" said MacGregor.
" I regret to say it is not a head," replied Sir James,
touching his hat, while his cheek Brushed with triumph :
" so I have won the first shot 1"
A shout of anger buret from the blacGregors ou Imaging

this; but Livingstoneie fello*ers waved their bonnets and
clapped their hands in exultatioti.
It was Rixange, the scene which took pittoe on that morn-
ing, on the wide moor of Kippen. On one side the grim
band of armed MacGregors, in their red tartans, with drawn
swords, Lochaber axes, and long muskets, guarding the
whole spoil of the parish, and keeping together the herds of
lowing cattle and tethered horses, laden with bags of grain,
bedding, and household utensils.
On the other, the well-armed retainers of Sir James
Livingstone, cross-belted and armed with piko and musket;
and midway between, the striking and picturesque figures
of the two combatants, who were to decide the affray, stand-
ing about twelve paces apart, with a pistol in each hand.