“There was now a stir and a murmur among the Orangemen, as if a rush was about to take place towards Denis; but Grimes, whom I saw endeavoring to curb them in, left the crowd, and advanced toward him.

“At this moment an instinctive movement among both masses took place; so that when Grimes had come within a few yards of Kelly, both parties were within two or three perches of them.  Kelly was standing, apparently off his guard, with one hand thrust carelessly into the breast pocket of his waistcoat, and the cudgel in the other; but his eye was fixed calmly upon Grimes as he approached.  They were both powerful, fine men—­brawny, vigorous, and active; Grimes had somewhat the advantage of the other in height; he also fought with his left hand, from which circumstance he was nicknamed Kitlhouge.  He was a man of a dark, stern-looking countenance; and the tones of his voice were deep, sullen, and of appalling strength.

“As they approached each other, the windows on each side of the street were crowded; but there was not a breath to be heard in any direction, nor from either party.  As for myself, my heart palpitated with anxiety.  What they might have felt I do not know:  but they must have experienced considerable apprehension; for as they were both the champions of their respective parties, and had never before met in single encounter, their characters depended on the issue of the contest.

“‘Well, Grimes,’ said Denis, ’sure I’ve often wished for this same meetin,’ man, betune myself and you; I have what you’re goin’ to get, in for you this long time; but you’ll get it now, avick, plase God—­’

“‘It was not to scould I came, you Popish, ribly rascal,’ replied Grimes, ‘but to give you what you’re long—­’

“Ere the word had been out of his mouth, however, Kelly sprung over to him; and making a feint, as if he intended to lay the stick on his ribs, he swung it past without touching him and, bringing it round his own head like lightning, made it tell with a powerful back-stroke, right on Grimes’s temple, and in an instant his own face was sprinkled with the blood which sprung from the wound.  Grimes staggered forwards towards his antagonist, seeing which, Kelly sprung back, and was again meeting him with full force, when Grimes, turning a little, clutched Kelly’s stick in his right hand, and being left-handed himself, ere the other could wrench the cudgel from him, he gave him a terrible blow upon the back part of the head, which laid Kelly in the dust.

“There was then a deafening shout from the Orange party; and Grimes stood until Kelly should be in the act of rising, ready then to give him another blow.  The coolness and generalship of Kelly, however, were here very remarkable; for, when he was just getting to his feet, ’Look at your party coming down upon me!’ he exclaimed to Grimes, who turned round to order them back, and, in the interim, Kelly was upon his legs.