; and Jackman, who had offered to be his second, set out with
him for the town near Tylehurst.

On their arrival, Jackman took a post-chaise to carry the billet to
Delamere, leaving the terrified Elkerton to settle all his affairs, both
temporal and spiritual, against the next morning, when Delamere was
appointed to meet him on a heath near the town, at seven o'clock.

Jackman found Delamere with Fitz-Edward, who had arrived there that day.
He delivered his letter, and Delamere immediately answered it by saying
he would not fail to attend the appointment, with his friend Colonel
Fitz-Edward.

During Jackman's absence, Elkerton tried to argue himself into a state
of mind fit for the undertaking of the next day. But he found no
arguments gave him any sort of satisfaction, save two; one was, that as
most disputes ended with firing a brace of pistols in the air, the
probability was, that he should be as fortunate as others--the second,
that if the worst should happen, he should at least make a paragraph
worth some hazard: and that whether he killed Delamere, or fell himself,
an affair of honour with a young man of his rank would extremely
contribute to his fame.

Neither of these reflections however had force enough to prevent his
heartily wishing there was no necessity to employ them; and he contrived
to make such a bustle with his servant about his pistols, and sent forth
so many enquiries for an able surgeon, that it was known immediately at
the inn where he was, that the gentleman was come to fight young Squire
Delamere.

In a country town, such intelligence soon gained ground; and before
Jackman's return, every shop in it had settled the place and manner of
the combat.

One of Mr. Stafford's servants was at the inn, which was also the post
house; where the landlady failed not to tell him what a bloody-minded
man was in the next room. The servant, who like all people of his
station delighted in the wonderful and the terrible, collected all the
particulars; which he retailed on his arrival at home, with every
exaggeration his invention would lend him.







The maid who waited on Emmeline had no sooner heard these particulars,
than conceiving her to be more interested in the fate of Delamere than
any other person, she ran up to tell her of it; and tho' she had not
retained the name of Elkerton perfectly, Emmeline, who instantly
recollected the adventure at Staines, saw the truth at once; and was
terrified at
