Oi am that same!" hissed Carroll, his eyes bloodshot with the light of
murder in them. "An' by all the powers of hell Oi'll be havin' yer
heart's blood if ye don't kape aff."

"Indeed, then, he's too small a man for you, and as to myself, we can
see about that later," said Shock quietly.

He closed his fingers on the wrist he held. The hand gripping Perault's
throat opened quickly, allowing the Frenchman to fall to the floor.
Swinging round with a hoarse cry, the big Irishman aimed a terrific
blow at Shock's head. But Shock, catching the blow on his arm, drew
Carroll sharply toward him, at the same time giving a quick downward
twist to the wrist he held, a trick of the Japanese wrestlers the
'Varsity men had been wont to practise. There was a slight crack, a
howl of pain, and Carroll sank writhing on the floor, with Shock's grip
still on his wrist.

"Let me up," he roared.

"Will you let the little man alone?" asked Shock quietly.

"Let me up, blank ye! It's yer heart's blood will pay for this."

"Will you leave the little man alone?" asked Shock in a relentlessly
even tone.

"Yis, yis," groaned Carroll. "Me wrist's bruk, so it is. But Oi'll be
afther doin' f'r yez, ye blank, blank--"

Carroll's profanity flowed in a copious stream.

"As to that," said Shock, quietly stepping back from him, "we can
discuss that later; but it is a shame for a man like you to be choking
a little chap like that."

The old football scrimmage smile was on Shock's face as he stood
waiting for Carroll to rise. The whole incident had occurred so
unexpectedly and so suddenly that the crowd about stood amazed, quite
unable to realise just what had happened.

After a time the big Irishman slowly rose, holding his wounded wrist
and grinding out curses. Then suddenly seizing with his uninjured hand
the chair which Perault had thrown at him, he raised it aloft and with
a wild yell brought it down upon Shock's head. With his yell mingled a
shrill cry. It was little Patsy. He had stolen in behind his father,
and with eyes growing wider and wider had stood listening to his
father's groans and curses.

Gradually the meaning of the scene dawned upon little Patsy's mind. His
father had been hurt, and there stood the man who had hurt him. In a
fury the little lad hurtled across the room, and just as his father
delivered his terrific blow he threw himself, with crutch uplifted, at
the astonished Shock and right in the way of the descending cha