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

A GALLANT ENCOUNTER.

" Have I the honour of addressing MacGregor of Invor-
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 ary time make
a warlike inroad on our enemies, which the Buchanans of
Kippen and Arnprior have been since that black day in
Glenfruin ; 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 ?" asked MacGregor, loftily.
" To me."

" Little care we for bloodshed," said the other, bitterly;
4, 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 ow 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 tho 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 those 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 ;
bur, 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 ?"

6' The pistols of a MacGregor are seldom otherwise, in
these times," said Rob, as his countenance darkened ;
"and yours ? '
"Are 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
Livingstone, 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," paid MacGregor, with indifference:
"And you will take my word for the coin—for the re-
sult l" 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 some trickery,
which his master repelled with scorn—even with
anger.
He threw up the coin—a crown 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 flushed with triumph :
" so I have won the first shot 1"
A shout of anger burst iron the MacGregors on hearing

this; but Livingstone's followers waved their bonnets and
clapped their hands in exultation.
It was strange, the scone which took place 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 pike 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.