THE FIGHT.
Frank stepped forward and called both combatants to him.
"The fight will start when I give the word," he said. "There will be no
rounds. You will keep fighting until one of you can fight no more. My
job shall be to see that you, Surgoff, do not resort to unfair methods.
I assure you that if you do, I shall tap you over the head with my
revolver. Now you both understand, do you?"
Jack nodded.
"Yes," said Surgoff surlily.
"All right. Then go."
Surgoff sprang forward with a cry, apparently bent on disposing of his
opponent with a single blow. In spite of the fact that he knew well the
power of the Englishman when it came to fists, he threw caution to the
winds. It was perfectly plain that he considered himself more than a
match for Jack.
Jack avoided the rush by sidestepping neatly and as the Russian was
carried by by the force of his rush, Jack planted a heavy blow solidly
above the right ear. The big Russian went reeling. Jack leaped lightly
forward and before his opponent could recover himself, he had stepped
around him and drove a left to the jaw.
The Russian covered as best he could and gave ground. Jack followed him
closely, and succeeded in driving three blows under the other's guard.
Then the Russian rushed into a clinch.
He clung to the lad tenaciously and it was only by a violent effort that
Jack succeeded in hurling him away. Surgoff went sprawling on the
ground. Jack stepped back and waited for his fallen foe to rise.
"I don't want to end this too quickly," he said between set teeth.
Surgoff staggered to his feet and raised his guard, waiting for the lad
to come to him. Apparently he had had enough of rushing tactics and had
determined to put up a defensive battle. Nothing loath, Jack advanced,
treading lightly on his toes.
The lad feinted sharply with his left for the head, and drove his right
fist squarely to the pit of the Russian's stomach. Surgoff doubled up
like a jack-knife and fell forward to the ground, where he rolled and
tumbled about for the space of several minutes. Again Jack stood by
quietly, waiting for him to rise.
No sooner was the man on his feet again that Jack rushed forward. Again
he feinted with his left--this time for the stomach--and as the Russian
lowered his guard to ward off the blow, Jack's right fist caught him on
the nose. Jack had drawn first blood.
Now Jack stood off at long range and peppered his opponent beautifully,
much to the delight of the large crowd of officers and men that had
gathered about, and was increasing at every moment, as word of the
encounter was passed along.
In vain did the Russian try to ward off the sledge-hammer blows. Jack
was not to be denied; and there was no pity in the lad's heart, for he
remembered his own lashings and the lashings of others, men, women and
children. He had determined to pay Surgoff in full.
Again Surgoff rushed into a clinch. Jack felt the man's hands close
about his throat, and the Russian had a powerful grip. But both of
Jack's hands were free, and he loosened the other's hold by driving a
straight right to the stomach. For a third time the Russian general
rolled on the ground.
Jack smiled grimly as he waited for the man to regain his feet.
"Now," he said, when Surgoff again faced him, "we'll count off twenty
good blows and then call it square."
"Smack!"
His right fist caught his opponent upon the sore nose.
"Smack! Smack!"
Right and left crashed against Surgoff's jaws.
"Smack!"
Another to the sore nose.
And so it continued, Jack counting the blows aloud.
"Sixteen," he said quietly, as he drove an extra-vicious left jolt to
the man's swollen right eye.
"Seventeen!" and he closed the right optic with his right.
"Eighteen!" and Surgoff staggered weakly from the effect of a blow to
the nose.
"Nineteen!" cried Jack, as he brought the man forward with an
extra-violent blow to the stomach.
Then, the man absolutely at his mercy. Jack dropped his right arm low
and swung from the shoulder. Straight and true went the blow and caught
Surgoff squarely upon the point of the chin.
"Twenty!" said Jack quietly.
He turned toward where Frank was standing; and thus did not see Surgoff
sink weakly to one knee and then tumble to the ground face downward.
"Well, I've evened up my score," said Jack to General Burgoff.
"And you have done it handsomely," was the reply. "By the Czar! this
fighting with fists must be a great game. I had no idea a man could do a
foe such injury."
"Well, I suppose I could have done it a bit quicker," said Jack. "But I
didn't want to put him out too suddenly. It would have been too
merciful, and I cannot see that a man like him is entitled to mercy.
Still, I flatter myself I did an artistic job."
"You did," agreed the general.
Jack now glanced toward his fallen foe, who was returning to
consciousness.
Slowly Surgoff raised himself upon his elbow; then struggled to his
knees and at last to his feet. Not a hand was extended to help him.
Seeing Jack standing some distance away, eyeing him, Surgoff raised a
fist and shook it at the lad as hard as his feebleness would permit.
"You shall pay for this," he exclaimed in a hoarse voice. "You shall
answer to me some day. If I ever get you in my power, you will rue this
day's work."
Jack smiled scornfully.
"I shall make it a point never to fall into your power," he said
quietly.
He turned his back upon the Russian.
Now General Burgoff advanced and glared at the vanquished Russian
officer.
"Go to your quarters at once, sir!" he commanded. "You are under
arrest."
Without a word, General Surgoff turned on his heel and made his way
slowly to his own quarters.
"What are you going to do with him, sir?" asked Jack.
"Take him before the Czar," was the reply.
"But why trouble His Majesty?" said Jack. "Surely he has been punished
enough. Why not let him go?"
"By the Czar!" exclaimed General Burgoff again. "So you are so
forgiving, eh? Now, were I in your place, I could wish nothing better
than to see him hanged."
"I don't want to see any man hanged, sir," returned Jack decidedly.
"Well, that's the difference between an Englishman and a Russian," said
the general. "However, you are the fellow who has suffered. I shall do
as you suggest."
"Then, sir, simply deprive him of his rank and let him go."
The general threw wide his arms.
"It shall be done," he said.
He summoned his orderly.
"Have General Surgoff brought back here," he commanded.
The orderly saluted and moved away. He was back a few moments later
followed by the deposed commander.
"And what do you want with me now?" demanded the latter somewhat
aggressively.
"If I were you," returned General Burgoff quietly, "I would adopt
another tone. That kind of talk will do you no good and I am likely to
change my mind regarding what disposition I shall make of you."
"Influenced by this Englishman, perhaps," sneered General Surgoff, with
a malevolent look at Jack.
"Hardly," was the grim reply. "Surgoff, I have decided that it is
unnecessary to take you before the Czar. I shall attend to your case
myself."
"You mean that I shall be put to death?" exclaimed the other. "Certainly
you dare not shoulder such a responsibility."
"I dare anything," was the reply. "But such is not my intention. No; I
shall simply turn your command over to your immediately subordinate and
allow you to go free, first commanding that you leave Siberia
immediately."
For a moment it seemed that General Surgoff could not believe he had
heard aright. Then he stepped toward General Burgoff and said brokenly:
"I thank you, sir. I shall go to the front and seek to enlist in the
ranks. Perhaps it is not too late for me to serve Russia well."
"Do," replied General Burgoff in a more kindly voice. "But do not thank
me for this chance. Thank this young Englishman here."
General Surgoff stared at Jack in the utmost surprise. Plainly such
cases of forgiveness were beyond his comprehension.
"I bear you no ill will," said Jack quietly.
"But I do you," growled the deposed officer. "I shall accept this
chance, sir," turning to the general again, "but I will thank no one but
you. And one more word," again turning to Jack, "if ever I am fortunate
enough to lay hands on you, I shall make you pay."
Jack shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh, all right, if that's the way you feel about it," he said with a
slight smile.
General Surgoff saluted General Burgoff stiffly; turned on his heel and
marched away.
"You see," said the latter to Jack. "You see what forgiveness means to a
man like Surgoff."
"Oh, well," said Jack, "at least I have kept my own conscience clear.
That is something."
General Burgoff eyed the lad keenly for some moments, considering this
remark. At last he turned away; and he also shrugged his shoulders; and
he said:
"You are right, my lad. That is something!"