Paul Tichlorne emitted a rainbow flash. It could not be he from whom
the ball had rebounded, and with sickening dread I realized that Lloyd
Inwood had come upon the scene. To make sure, I looked for his shadow,
and there it was, a shapeless blotch the girth of his body, (the sun was
overhead), moving along the ground. I remembered his threat, and felt
sure that all the long years of rivalry were about to culminate in
uncanny battle.

I cried a warning to Paul, and heard a snarl as of a wild beast, and an
answering snarl. I saw the dark blotch move swiftly across the court,
and a brilliant burst of vari-colored light moving with equal swiftness
to meet it; and then shadow and flash came together and there was the
sound of unseen blows. The net went down before my frightened eyes. I
sprang toward the fighters, crying:

"For God's sake!"

But their locked bodies smote against my knees, and I was overthrown.

"You keep out of this, old man!" I heard the voice of Lloyd Inwood from
out of the emptiness. And then Paul's voice crying, "Yes, we've had
enough of peacemaking!"

From the sound of their voices I knew they had separated. I could not
locate Paul, and so approached the shadow that represented Lloyd. But
from the other side came a stunning blow on the point of my jaw, and I
heard Paul scream angrily, "Now will you keep away?"

Then they came together again, the impact of their blows, their groans
and gasps, and the swift flashings and shadow-movings telling plainly of
the deadliness of the struggle.

I shouted for help, and Gaffer Bedshaw came running into the court. I
could see, as he approached, that he was looking at me strangely, but he
collided with the combatants and was hurled headlong to the ground. With
despairing shriek and a cry of "O Lord, I've got 'em!" he sprang to his
feet and tore madly out of the court.

I could do nothing, so I sat up, fascinated and powerless, and watched
the struggle. The noonday sun beat down with dazzling brightness on the
naked tennis court. And it was naked. All I could see was the blotch of
shadow and the rainbow flashes, the dust rising from the invisible feet,
the earth tearing up from beneath the straining foot-grips, and the wire
screen bulge once or twice as their bodies hurled against it. That was
all, and after a time even that ceased. There were no more flashes, and
the shadow had become long and stationary; and I remembered their set
boyish faces when they clun