t bluff me. Well now, I've come round to take it out
of you for slinging that decanter at me, and if there is another thing
we needn't mention it."

Winston stared at the man, and his astonishment was evident, but the
fact that he still spoke with an English accentuation, as Courthorne
did, was against him.

"To the best of my recollection, I have never suffered the
unpleasantness of meeting you in my life," he said. "I certainly never
threw a decanter or anything else at you, though I understand that one
might feel tempted to."

The man rose up slowly, and appeared big and heavy-shouldered as he
moved athwart the window. "I guess that is quite enough for me," he
said. "What were you condemned Englishmen made for, any way, but to
take the best of what other men worked for, until the folks who've got
grit enough run you out of the old country! Lord, why don't they drown
you instead of dumping you and your wickedness on to us? Still, I'm
going to show one of you, as I've longed to do, that you can't play
your old tricks with the women of this country."

"I don't see the drift of a word of it," said Winston. "Hadn't you
better come back to-morrow, when you've worked the vapors off?"

"Come out!" said the other man grimly. "There's scarcely room in here.
Well then, have it your own way, and the devil take care of you!"

"I think there's enough," said Winston, and as the other sprang
forward, closed with him.

He felt sick and dizzy for a moment, for he had laid himself open and
the first blow got home, but he had decided that if the grapple was
inevitable, it was best to commence it and end it speedily. A few
seconds later there was a crash against the table, and the stranger
gasped as he felt the edge of it pressed into his backbone. Then he
felt himself borne backwards until he groaned under the strain, and
heard a hoarse voice say: "If you attempt to use that foot again, I'll
make the leg useless all your life to you. Come right in here, Tom."

A man carrying a lantern came in, and stared at the pair as he set it
down. "Do you want me to see a fair finish-up?" he asked.

"No," said Winston. "I want you to see this gentleman out with me.
Nip his arms behind his back, he can't hurt you."

It was done with a little difficulty, and there was a further scuffle
in the hall, for the stranger resisted strenuously, but a minute later
the trio reeled out of the door just as a buggy pulled up. Then, as
the