him to death.

"Duveen stood up and walked around the empty case which was doing
service as a table. He stepped up to take the sword which the other had
refused to surrender; whereupon the Prussian very promptly and skilfully
knocked him down. Immediately some of the boys made a rush, but Duveen,
staggering to his feet, waved them back. He deliberately unbuttoned his
tunic, took off his cap and unhitching his braces, fastened his belt
around his waist. To everybody's surprise the lordly Prussian did
likewise. A ring was formed and a fight began that would have brought
in the roof of the National Sporting Club!

"Feeling ran high against the Prussian, but he was a bigger man than
Duveen and a magnificent boxer. Excited betting was in full swing when I
appeared on the scene. Of course my duty was plain. But I had young
Conroy with me and he pulled me aside before the men saw us.

"'Five to one in fivers on the sergeant!' he said.

"I declined the bet, for I knew something of Duveen's form; but I did
not interrupt the fight! And, by gad! it was a splendid fight! It lasted
for seventeen minutes without an interval, and Duveen could never have
stayed another two, I'll swear, when the Prussian made the mistake of
closing with him. I knew it was finished then. Duveen got in his pet
hook with the right and fairly lifted his opponent out of the sentient
world.

"I felt like cheering; but before I could retire Duveen turned, a bloody
sight, and looked at me, out of puffy eyes. He sprang to attention, and
'I am your prisoner, sir,' said he.

"That left me no way out, and I had to put him under arrest. Just as he
was staggering off between his guards the Prussian recovered
consciousness and managed to get upon his feet. His gaze falling on
Duveen, he held out one huge hand to him--"

"Good! he was a sportsman after all!"

"Duveen took it--and the Prussian, grasping that dangerous right of the
sergeant's in his iron grip, struck him under the ear with his left and
knocked him insensible across the improvised table!"

Paul pulled up in the roadway, his dark eyes flashing: "The swine!" he
exclaimed--"the--ee swine!"

"I had all my work cut out then to keep the men off the fellow. But
finally a car came for him he was the Grand Duke of Something or
other--and he was driven back to the base. He had resumed his golden
helmet, and he sat, in spite of his bloody face, scornfully glancing at
the hostile group about the car, like