 head, that was covered with a greasy
hat trimmed with a tarnished pointe d'espagne. He no sooner perceived me
advancing, than without any preamble, he pulled a pistol from his bosom, and
presenting at me, snapt it. Alarmed at his rude salutation, I made a stand, and
before he could adjust his other piece, fired one of mine at him, without doing
any damage. By this time he was ready with his second, that flashed in the pan
without going off: Upon which he called, with a true Tipperary cadence, »Fire
away, honey,« - and began to hammer his flint with great deliberation. - But I
was resolved to make use of the advantage Fortune had given me; and therefore
stept up, without throwing away my fire, desiring him to ask his life, or
prepare for another world; - but this stout Hibernian refused to condescend, and
complained bitterly of my having quitted my ground before he could return my
shot; saying I ought to go back to my station, and let him have an equal chance
with me. - I endeavoured to persuade him that I had given him a double chance
already; and it was my business to prevent him from enjoying a third; - but now,
since I had an opportunity, I demanded a parley, and desired to know his
condition, and reason for calling me to the field, who, to the best of my
remembrance, so far from having done him any injury, had never before seen him.
- He told me, that he was a gentleman of fortune, who had spent all he had, and
hearing that Melinda had got ten thousand pounds, he intended to make himself
master of that sum by espousing her, and was determined, in an honourable way,
to cut the throats of all those who stood between him and his hopes. - I then
demanded to know the foundation of his hopes; and now that I had seen him, being
more and more astonished at the circumstance of the promise, desired he would
explain that mystery: - He gave me to understand, that he trusted entirely to
his birth and personal merit; that he had frequently wrote to Melinda, setting
forth his claim and pretensions, but she was never kind enough to send an
answer, or even to admit him into her presence; and that the promise he
mentioned in his letter, was made by his friend Mr. Gaghagan, who assured him,
that no woman could resist a man of his appearance. - I could not forbear
laughing to excess, at the simplicity
