ch and could give me at
least a couple of stone. He wasn't soft either, but looked as hard as
granite. I was only just from hospital and absurdly out of training.
He would certainly kill me if he could, and I saw nothing to prevent
him.

My only chance was to keep him from getting to grips, for he could have
squeezed in my ribs in two seconds. I fancied I was lighter on my legs
than him, and I had a good eye. Black Monty at Kimberley had taught me
to fight a bit, but there is no art on earth which can prevent a big
man in a narrow space from sooner or later cornering a lesser one.
That was the danger.

Backwards and forwards we padded on the soft carpet. He had no notion
of guarding himself, and I got in a good few blows.

Then I saw a queer thing. Every time I hit him he blinked and seemed
to pause. I guessed the reason for that. He had gone through life
keeping the crown of the causeway, and nobody had ever stood up to him.
He wasn't a coward by a long chalk, but he was a bully, and had never
been struck in his life. He was getting struck now in real earnest,
and he didn't like it. He had lost his bearings and was growing as mad
as a hatter.

I kept half an eye on the clock. I was hopeful now, and was looking
for the right kind of chance. The risk was that I might tire sooner
than him and be at his mercy.

Then I learned a truth I have never forgotten. If you are fighting a
man who means to kill you, he will be apt to down you unless you mean
to kill him too. Stumm did not know any rules to this game, and I
forgot to allow for that. Suddenly, when I was watching his eyes, he
launched a mighty kick at my stomach. If he had got me, this yarn
would have had an abrupt ending. But by the mercy of God I was moving
sideways when he let out, and his heavy boot just grazed my left thigh.

It was the place where most of the shrapnel had lodged, and for a
second I was sick with pain and stumbled. Then I was on my feet again
but with a new feeling in my blood. I had to smash Stumm or never
sleep in my bed again.

I got a wonderful power from this new cold rage of mine. I felt I
couldn't tire, and I danced round and dotted his face till it was
streaming with blood. His bulky padded chest was no good to me, so I
couldn't try for the mark.

He began to snort now and his breath came heavily. 'You infernal cad,'
I said in good round English, 'I'm going to knock the stuffing out of
you,' but he didn't k