right if 'e'd give yer one in both eyes!'

Mrs. Blakeston stood close in front of her, her heavy jaw protruded and
the frown of her eyebrows dark and stern. For a moment she stood
silent, contemplating Liza, while the surrounders looked on in
breathless interest.

'Yer dirty little bitch, you!' she said at last. 'Tike that!' and with
her open hand she gave her a sharp smack on the cheek.

Liza started back with a cry and put her hand up to her face.

'An' tike thet!' added Mrs. Blakeston, repeating the blow. Then,
gathering up the spittle in her mouth, she spat in Liza's face.

Liza sprang on her, and with her hands spread out like claws buried
her nails in the woman's face and drew them down her cheeks. Mrs.
Blakeston caught hold of her hair with both hands and tugged at it as
hard as she could. But they were immediately separated.

''Ere, 'old 'ard!' said some of the men. 'Fight it aht fair and
square. Don't go scratchin' and maulin' like thet.'

'I'll fight 'er, I don't mind!' shouted Mrs. Blakeston, tucking up her
sleeves and savagely glaring at her opponent.

Liza stood in front of her, pale and trembling; as she looked at her
enemy, and saw the long red marks of her nails, with blood coming from
one or two of them, she shrank back.

'I don't want ter fight,' she said hoarsely.

'Na, I don't suppose yer do,' hissed the other, 'but yer'll damn well
'ave ter!'

'She's ever so much bigger than me; I've got no chanst,' added Liza
tearfully.

'You should 'ave thought of thet before. Come on!' and with these
words Mrs. Blakeston rushed upon her. She hit her with both fists one
after the other. Liza did not try to guard herself, but imitating the
woman's motion, hit out with her own fists; and for a minute or two
they continued thus, raining blows on one another with the same
windmill motion of the arms. But Liza could not stand against the
other woman's weight; the blows came down heavy and rapid all over her
face and head. She put up her hands to cover her face and turned her
head away, while Mrs. Blakeston kept on hitting mercilessly.

'Time!' shouted some of the men--'Time!' and Mrs. Blakeston stopped to
rest herself.

'It don't seem 'ardly fair to set them two on tergether. Liza's got no
chanst against a big woman like thet,' said a man among the crowd.

'Well, it's er' own fault,' answered a woman; 'she didn't oughter mess
about with 'er 'usbind.'

'Well, I don't think it's right,' added another