With a powerful thrust of his disengaged arm Tony sent him staggering back to the edge of the pavement, where he stumbled over the curb and sat down heavily in the gutter. 

 His companion, seeing his fall, gave a guttural cry of anger and lifting the light stick that he was carrying lashed out savagely at Bugg. As coolly as if he were in the ring the latter ducked under the blow, and coming up with a beautiful straight left knocked his assailant spinning against the lamp-post. 

     Tony sent the fellow staggering back to the edge of the pavement. His companion lashed out savagely at Bugg. The latter ducked under the blow, and coming up with a beautiful straight left, knocked his assailant spinning. Tony turned again to the girl.   "I am afraid we must tear ourselves away," he remarked.   "We shall have half London here in a moment." 

 Tony turned again to the girl at his side.  "I am afraid we must tear ourselves away," he remarked. "We shall have half London here in a moment." 

 Already from down the street came the shrill blast of a whistle, followed a moment later by the sound of running footsteps. Heedless of these warnings the two strangers, now apparently reckless with fury, were collecting themselves for a fresh attack. 

 "Keep them busy, Bugg," said Tony quietly; and the next instant he and the girl were hurrying along the pavement in the direction of Martin's Lane. That fairly prosperous thoroughfare was only a few yards' distant, but before they could reach it the sounds of a magnificent tumult broke out again behind them. The girl glanced nervously over her shoulder, and her grip on Tony's arm tightened. 

 "Oh!" she gasped, "oughtn't we to go back? Your friend will be hurt!" 

 Tony laughed reassuringly.  "If any one's hurt," he observed, "it's much more likely to be one of the other gentlemen." 

 They rounded the corner, and as they did so a disengaged taxi came bowling opportunely up the street. Tony signalled to the driver to stop. 

 "Here we are!" he said. 

 A look of frightened dismay leaped suddenly into his companion's pretty face. 

 "What's the matter?" asked Tony. 

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