stand back.

"How now?" cried Roderic. "Now have I got you at an advantage as you had
me yesternight. But it shall never be said that Roderic of Gigha would
meanly slay any man who was weaponless. And therefore take up your
sword, Earl Alpin, and let us make an end of this battle."

Roderic then drew back that Alpin might without hindrance take up his
sword. Then into Roderic's eyes there came a look of fixed fury, and in
that look Alpin read his doom.

Again they took their ground, and this time neither seemed so eager to
spring at the other. But at last young Alpin leapt wildly at his foe,
with his sword upraised in the grip of his two hands. Down came his
weapon with a mighty swing, and all thought surely that blow would be
Roderic's end. But Roderic sprang lightly aside, so that the young man's
aim was spent upon the soft ground. Roderic's sword flashed in a circle
above his crested helm. There was a dull crunching sound, and then a
deep groan.

Kenric promptly rushed to his brother's side and tried to raise him from
the ground. But the sword of Roderic of Gigha had done its work. Earl
Alpin was dead.

Then the men of Bute, seeing what had befallen their young king, raised
a wailing cry that rent the sunny air, and they closed in their ranks
around their fallen chief.

Earl Roderic looked but for a moment at Alpin, and then swinging his
bloodstained sword from right to left he passed through the crowd of