Evening star., 1927-11-29
Copyright. 1920
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
TIE FIGHT
RY WILLIAM H.AZIITT.
TIE FIGHT

flesh and bone. round which the Gas
mans blows played with the rapidity
of electricity or lightning. and you
imagined he would only he lifted up
to be knocked down again. 1T was
as if Hickman held a sword or fire
in that right hand of his, and directed
it against an unarmed body.
They met again, and Neate seemed.
not cowed, but particularly cautious.
I saw his teeth clench together, and
his brows knit close against the sun.
He held out both his arms at full
length straight before him, like two
ge-hammers, and raised the left
an inch or two higher. The Gas
man could not get over this guard
they struck mutually. and fell, but
without advantage on either side. 1T
was the same in the next round; but
the balance of power was thus re-
stored the fate of the battle was sus
pended. No one could tell how 1T
would end.
This was the only moment in
which opinion was divided for in the
next, the Gas-man aiming mortal
blow at his adverSarys neck with
his right hand, and falling from the
length he had to reach. the other
returned it with his left at full swing
planted tremendous blow on his
cheek k-bone and eyebrow, and made
q red ruin of that side of his face.
The Gas-man went down, and there
was a shOut-a roar of triumph as
the waves of fortune rolled tumultu
ously from side to side.
This was a settler. Hickman got
up. and "grinned "a horrible Shastly
smile" yet he was evidently dashed
in his opinion of himself: it WAS the
first time lie had ever been so pun
ished; all one side of his face was
perfect scarlet, and his right eye was
closed in dingy blackness, as he adj
vanced to the fight. less confident, bat
still determined. After one or two
more rounds. not receiving another
such remembrancer, he rallied and
went at it with his former impetu-
osity But in vain. His strength had
been weakened--his blows could not
tell at such diStance--he was
obliged to fling himself at his advcr
sary, and could not strike from his
feet. Almost as regularly as he flew
at him with his right hand, Neate
warded the blow. or drew back out Of
it's reach. and felIed him with the
return of his left.
There was little cautious sparring--
no half hits-no tapping and trifiing.
none of the little niceties of the art
they were almost all knock down
blows: the fight was a good stand-up
fight. The wonder was the half
minute time--a minute or more each
round would have finished them. But
to see two men smashed to the
ground, smeared with gore, stunned,
senseless-and then to see them rise
up with new strength and courage,
tai offense--that is the high and he
roic state of man!
From this time forward the event
became more certain every round.
About the twelfth it seemed as il it
must have been over. Hickman gen
orally stood with his back to me: but
in the scuffle he had changed posi-
tions, and Neate just then made 4
tremendous lunge at him, and hit him
full in the face He hung suspended
for second or two, then fell back.
with his face to the sky. | never
saw ANYTHING more terrific than that
face. His face was like human
skull. a death s-head. spouting blood.
Yet he fought on after this for sew
eral rounds Neate stood on his guard
to the last-until the Gas-man was so
stunned in the seventeenth round that
his senses forsook him and he could
not come to time The battle was de-
clared over.
When the Gas-man came to himself.
Neate instantly went up and shook
him by the hand cordially.