“Get to your corners,” said the referee, and Dam returned to his place with a cruel smile upon his compressed lips. By the Merciful Living God he had the Snake Itself delivered unto him in human form—to do with as he could. Oh, that It might last out the fifteen times of facing him in his wrath, his pent-up vengeful wrath at a ruined life, a dishonoured name and _a lost Lucille!_ When would they give the word for him to spring upon it and batter it lifeless to the ground? “Don’t grind yer silly teeth like that,” whispered Hawker, his grim ugly face white with anxiety and suspense (for he loved Damocles de Warrenne as the faithfullest of hounds loves the best of masters). “You’re awastin’ henergy all the time.” “God! if they don’t give the word in a minute I shall be unable to hold off It,” replied Dam wildly. “That’s the sperrit, Cocky,” approved Hawker, “but donchew fergit you gotter larst fifteen bloomin’ rahnds. ’Taint no kindergarters. ’_E_’ll stick it orlrite, an’ you’ll avter win on _points_——” “Seconds out of the Ring,” cried the time-keeper, staring at his watch. “Don’t get knocked out, dear boy,” implored Trooper Bear. “Fight to win on points. You _can’t_ knock him out. I’m going to pray like hell through the rounds——” _“Time”_ barked the time-keeper, and, catching up the chair as Dam rose, Trooper Bear dropped down from the boards of the ring to the turf, where already crouched Hawker and Goate, looking like men about to be hanged. The large assembly drew a deep breath as the combatants approached each other with extended right hands—Dam clad in a pair of blue silk shorts, silk socks and high, thin, rubber-soled boots, the Gorilla in an exiguous bathing-garment and a pair of gymnasium shoes. Dam a picture of the Perfect Man, was the taller, and the Gorilla, a perfect Caliban, was the broader and had the longer reach. Their right hands touched in perfunctory shake, Dam drew back to allow the Snake to assume sparring attitude, and, as he saw the huge shoulders hunch, the great biceps rise, and the clenched gloves come to position, he assumed the American “crouch” attitude and sprang like a tiger upon the incarnation of the utter Damnation and Ruin that had cursed his life to living death.