he could not stand the pace
for very long.

"You've got him!" cried Dick, in an ecstasy of expectation. "Keep it up,
Barney! That's the game! You'll have him in five minutes more!"

"Quite evident," echoed Dr. Trent quietly, hugely enjoying the change in
the situation.

Dr. Bulling heard the words. His pallor deepened. Red blotches began to
appear on his cheek. The sweat stood out upon his forehead. His breath
came in short gasps. He knew he could not last much longer. His only
hope lay in immediate attack. He must finish off his man within the next
minute or accept defeat. Nature was now taking revenge upon him for his
long outraging of her laws. Barney, on the other hand, though bruised
and battered about the face, was stepping about easily and lightly,
without any sign of the terrible punishment he had suffered. Reading
his opponent's face he knew that the moment for a supreme effort had
arrived, and waited for his plan to develop. There was only one thing
for Bulling to do. Edging his opponent toward the corner and summoning
his fast failing strength for a final attack, he forced him hard back
into the angle of the wall. He had him now. One clean blow and all would
be over.

"Look out, Barney!" yelled Dick.

Suddenly, as if shot from a steel spring, Barney crouched low and
leaped at his man, and disregarding two heavy blows, thrust one long arm
forward and with his sinewy fingers gripped his enemy's throat. "Ha!" he
cried with savage exultation, holding off his foe at arm's length. "Now!
Now! Now!" As he uttered each word between his clenched teeth he shook
the gasping, choking wretch as a dog shakes a rat. In vain his victim
struggled to get free, now striking wild and futile blows, now clutching
and clawing at those terrible gripping fingers. His face grew purple;
his tongue protruded; his breath came in rasping gasps; his hands fell
to his side. "Keep your hands so," hissed Barney, loosening his grip to
give him air. "Ha! would you? Don't you move!" gripping him hard again.
"There!" loosening once more, "now, are you a liar? Speak quick!" The
blue lips made an attempt at the affirmation of which the head made the
sign. "Say it again. Are you a liar?" Once more the head nodded and the
lips attempted to speak. "Yes," said Barney, still through his clenched
teeth, "you are a cowardly liar!" The words came forth with terrible
deliberation. "I could kill you with my hands as you stand. But I won't,
you cur! I'l