as he could, well knowing
his present physical weakness and what a mix-up might mean to him if
the police happened along, but this ill-treatment was a little more
than he could stand, despite all possible consequences.

The moment Smiler was released, the boy ran to the door and away.

Meantime, McGregor pulled himself together and began to laugh as if
from his stomach.

"I guess that means a scrap," he grunted.

"Not that I know of," put in Phil. "But I like to see fair play. The
youngster wasn't hurting you."

For answer McGregor unbuckled his belt and handed it to his friend
called Stitchy, spitting noisily on the saw-dusted floor.

The hotel proprietor jumped over the counter and interfered.

"There's going to be no rough-house here. If you fools want to fight
get out on the back lot where there's plenty of room. Come on,--out
you go! The whole caboodle of you!"

He and his assistant--both burly men--cleared the bar.

Phil was among the last to leave, and, in a faint hope of avoiding
trouble, he turned aside, but McGregor sprang after him and laid
hold.

"Not by a damn-sight!" he cried. "Here, stick them up!"

He feinted round Phil, then ran in on him. Phil had no alternative. He
put up his arms, jumped aside and dealt the cattleman a stiff blow on
the mouth.

The crowd gathered round and made a ring. For a time, Phil more than
held his own, getting in blow after blow, while McGregor tried his
best to come to grips.

"Don't ever let him get his arms round you," cautioned a friendly
voice, the owner of which Phil had no time to note.

The stout-chested cattleman had no science, but he possessed an
unlimited amount of vital energy and strength. Phil had science, but
nothing else to back it up.

The ultimate issue was beyond all question and Phil knew it, for five
minutes had not gone ere he was gasping for breath and had black
specks floating in hundreds before his vision. He sprang aside and
circled time and again, trying to avoid his antagonist's determination
to get to grips, but at last, just after a particularly close escape,
someone pushed him suddenly from behind and, before he was aware of
it, two great arms were round him crushing the life out of him. He
struggled frantically, but felt like a puppy-dog in the paws of a
grizzly. He was whirled round and round till he grew dizzy. He was
crushed and hugged until he became faint. When his bones were cracking
and the very life seemed oozing ou