Page 6 (2/2)

sure, but if you think you can knock John Barty off his pins, do it,

and there y' are"

"I will," said Barnabas, "though as gently as possible"

And now they fell to it in silence, a grim silence broken only by

the quick tread and shuffle of feet and the muffled thud of blows

John Barty, resolute of jaw, indoone down before the hter, but full of the supreme confidence of

youth Moreover, he had not been the daily pupil of two such past

ht to bear all his

father's craft and cunning, backed up by the lightning precision of

Natty Bell In all his ht battles John Barty had ever

been accountednow

Twice Barnabas staggered back to the wall, and there was an ugly

smear upon his cheek, yet as they struck and parried, and feinted,

Barnabas, this quick-eyed, swift-footed Barnabas, was s also

Thus, while they smiled upon and smote each other, the likeness

between them was more apparent than ever, only the smile of Barnabas

was the s

which Experienced Age laughed short and fierce, and strode in to

strike Youth down--then ca hiss of

breath, the shock of vicious blows, and John Barty, the unbeaten

ex-chaered back the

length of the room, and went doith a crash