ry.

The fight raged across the clearing and back again, Garman striving to
drive his agile opponent into the brush and entangle him, Roger
carefully avoiding this danger which would have enabled Garman to come
to grips. Time after time the latter rushed and each time Roger eluded
his grasp. When a safe opportunity offered Roger struck and leaped to
safety, refusing to permit Garman's taunts to rouse him to reckless
fury.

"Run, why don't you, sonny? Turn and beat it. You're fast; you might
get away."

Roger did not reply to these efforts to provoke him; he circled just
out of reach, watching with icy eyes for the big man's next move. And
when it came he was ready to meet it. His mind was clear and cool; one
chance he had and one only,--that Garman would tire himself. As the
fight went on and it became obvious that Garman, despite his efforts,
was as fresh as ever, Roger abandoned this hope; and now he became more
calm, more icy-eyed than ever.

It was a fight to death and his only purpose now to die hard and
fighting to the last breath. A grim satisfaction, a pride, almost a
joy, in the perfect condition of body, of his strength and agility,
began to grow in him. The joy of life, the purposes and hopes of a
man's existence; the hope of love, all that had been put away; and he
had become the stark fighting man, single of idea, barren of hope, but
efficient. The intoxication of battle began to creep upon him. From
the toes of his light strong feet to the top of his head his body
thrilled with the strong man's joy in his own strength; and only his
iron will, which had consecrated his strength to the uttermost possible
harming of Garman, prevented him from shouting exultantly. Instead he
stepped in when the opportunity presented itself and swung his right
with all his power to Garman's long, heavy jaw. The blow would have
felled any other man like a pole-axed ox, but Garman's head merely
rolled back on its thick neck and that was all.

A new gleam of craftiness in Garman's eyes warned Roger to
extraordinary alertness, and when the other, pretending to seek a
moment's rest, suddenly lashed out a kick for the groin, the young man
threw himself away, escaping with a blow on the hip. Anger flamed in
him anew, the anger of the fair fighter at a treacherous trick, and at
the sight of the change in him Garman permitted himself a little smile,
and Roger again forced himself to grow calm. He retreated, striking