A burly student, armed with a stout cane, was the
principal aggressor.
Maurice doubled his fist and swung a blow which had one hundred
and sixty pounds behind it, and it landed squarely on the cheek
of the student, who dropped face downward and lay still. This
onslaught was so sudden and unexpected that the students were
confounded. But Maurice, whose plans crystallized in moments
like these, picked up the cane and laid it about him.
The students swore and yelled and stumbled over one another in
their wild efforts to dodge the vindictive cane. Maurice cleared
a wide circle. The dog, half blinded by his blood and not fully
comprehending this new phase in the tide of events, lunged at
Maurice, who nimbly eluded him. Finally the opportunity came. He
flung the cane into the yelling pack, with his left arm caught
the dog about the middle, and leaped back into the nearest
doorway. The muscles of his left arm were sorely tried; the dog
considered his part in the fray by no means ended, and he tugged
and yelped huskily. With his right hand Maurice sought his
revolver, cocked and leveled it. There came a respite.
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