ain must work out his salvation quickly. Another
two or three minutes and it would be over one way or the other. He made
his decision. The tricks of his own art were inadequate, but there was
still one hope--one last chance. It was the so-called "knee-break" of
the bush country, a horrible thing, he had thought, when Father Roland
had taught it to him. "Break your opponent's knees," the Missioner had
said, "and you've got him." He had never practised it. But he knew the
method, and he remembered the Little Missioner's words--"when he's
straight facing you, with all your weight, like a cannon ball!" And
suddenly he shot himself out like that, as Brokaw was about to rush upon
him--a hundred and sixty pounds of solid flesh and bone against the
joints of Brokaw's knees!

The shock dazed him. There was a sharp pain in his left shoulder, and
with that shock and pain he was conscious of a terrible cry as Brokaw
crashed over him. He was on his feet when Brokaw was on his knees.
Whether or not they were really broken he could not tell. With all the
strength in his body he sent his right again and again to the bleeding
jaw of his enemy. Brokaw reached up and caught him in his huge arms, but
that jaw was there, unprotected, and David battered it as he might have
battered a rock with a hammer. A gasping cry rose out of the giant's
throat, his head sank backward--and through a red fury, through blood
that spattered up into his face, David continued to strike until the
arms relaxed about him, and with a choking gurgle of blood in his
throat, Brokaw dropped back limply, as if dead.

And then David looked again beyond the bars. The staring faces had drawn
nearer to the cage, bewildered, stupefied, disbelieving, like the faces
of stone images. For a space it was so quiet that it seemed to him they
must hear his panting breath and the choking gurgle that was still in
Brokaw's throat. The victor! He flung back his shoulders and held up his
head, though he had great desire to stagger against one of the bars and
rest. He could see the Girl and Hauck--and now the girl was standing
alone, looking at him. She had seen him! She had seen him beat that
giant beast, and a great pride rose in his breast and spread in a joyous
light over his bloody face. Suddenly he lifted his hand and waved it at
her. In a flash she was coming to him. She would have broken her way
through the cordon of men, but Hauck stopped her. He had seen Hauck
talking swiftly