Part 4 (1/2)

I went over to his anvil, set ht at hih, as if to strike me; and I felt then that if I had taken my eyes from Jim's for the briefest flash of time, my last minute on earth would have arrived

With an oath,--the first I ever heard hi into a corner a the old horse shoes

”damn you,--I hate you and all your cursed aristocratic breed,” he snarled And, with the spring of a tiger, he hadhands of his, his fingers closing cruelly on my windpipe as he tried to shake the life out of me

I had always been able to account for Jim when it came to fisticuffs, but never at close quarters This time, his attack was violent as it was unexpected I did not have the ghost of a chance I staggered back against the furnace wall, still in his devilish clutch Not a gasp of air entered or left my body from the moment he clutched me

He shook o;lights and awful darknesses flashed and loohts becaer andht, I felt a sudden release, painful and al The lights ca chaos I began to grasp the tangible onceat asping,--for glorious life-giving, life-sustaining air, I gradually began to see as through a haze Before long, I was al a few paces away, his chest heaving, his shaggy head bent and his great hands clenched against his thighs

I gazed at hilistened in his eyes, rolled down his cheeks and splashed on the back of his hand, where it dried up as if it had fallen on a red-hot plate

I took an unsteady step toward him and held out my hand

”Jim,” I murmured, ”my poor old Jiroaned huskily ”For God's sake strike me, for the coward I am!”

”I want your hand, Ji? What is all this about?”

At last he looked intoin his expressive face

”You would be friends after what I have done?” he asked

”I want your hand, Jiain

In a rip

”George,--George!” he cried ”We've always been friends,--chums I have always known you were not like the rest of them”

He drew his forearive me for what I did, won't you?”

”Man, Ji;--only, you have the devil's own grip I don't suppose I shall be able to s decently for a week

”But you are in trouble: what is it, Jih,--God forbid It's Peggy, George,--y, that has neither uide her;--only me, and I'm a blind fool Oh!--I can't speak about it

Come over with me and see for yourself”