It was an extraordinary combat; certainly the walls of this luxurious suite had never looked down upon a scene so strange as this fight between friends. How long it continued, neither man knew--not a great while, surely, measured by the clock; but an interminable time as they gauged it. Nor could Calvin Gray afterward recall just how it came to an end. He vaguely remembered Buddy Briskow weaving loosely, rocking forward upon uncertain legs, blindly groping for him--the memory was like that of a figure seen dimly through a mist of dreams--then he remembered calling up his last reserve of failing vigor. Even as he launched the blow he knew it was a knockout. The colossus fell, lay motionless. It was a moment or two before Gray could summon strength to lend succor, then he righted an armchair and dragged Buddy into it. He reeled as he made for the bathroom, for he was desperately sick; as he wet a towel, meanwhile clinging dizzily to the faucet, his reflection leered forth from the mirror--a battered, repulsive countenance, shockingly unlike his own. He was gently mopping young Briskow's face when the latter revived. Buddy's eyes were wild, he did not recognize this unpleasant stranger until a familiar voice issued from the shapeless lips. "You'll be all right in a few minutes, my lad." Briskow lifted his head; he tried to rise, but fell back limply, for as yet his body refused to obey his will. "You--licked me," he declared, faintly. "Licked me good, didn't you?" "_Buddy!_ Oh, Buddy--" It was a yearning cry; Gray's streaked, swollen features were grotesquely contorted. "You won't be mad with me, will you?" "Want to fight any more?" The victor groaned. "My God, _no!_ You nearly killed me." This time Buddy managed to gain his feet. "Then I reckon I'll--go to bed. I feel purty rotten." Gray laughed aloud, in his deep relief. "Righto! And after I've phoned for a doctor, if you don't mind, I'll crawl in with you." CHAPTER XXII On the morning after the fight Mallow knocked at Gray's door, then in answer to an indistinct and irritable command to be gone, he made himself known. "It's me, Governor. And I've got Exhibit A." "Really?" came the startled query. There was a stir from within, the lock snapped and the door opened. "I've got a little friend here that I want you to--" Mallow paused inside the threshold, his mouth fell open, he stared in frank amazement. "Sweet spirits of niter!" he gasped. "What happened to _you?_" "I was playing tag in the hall with some other old men, and one of them struck me." "My God, you're a sight!" Mallow remained petrified. "I never saw a worse mess."