Hodge’s hand rested on the back of a chair, and he had not altered his position when the other youth sprang to the wall and tore down the rapiers.
Now, without the least warning and with such strength and quickness as only a trained athlete could command, he grasped the chair with both hands, swung it aloft, and hurled it straight at Bertrand’s head.
Defarge had no time to dodge, but he put up his arm to protect his face, and the chair sent him reeling against the wall. Hodge followed the chair with two swift bounds, and was on the French youth instantly.
He grasped Bertrand’s right wrist with one hand and his throat with the other, pinning the fellow against the wall and holding him there.
“You devil’s whelp!” grated Hodge. “You would not hesitate at murder! I’ll guarantee that you land in prison yet!”
Defarge had been shocked by the impact of the chair, and for a few seconds he seemed quite helpless and unresisting. Then he suddenly gathered himself and tried to hurl Bart off.
Hodge kept his hold, attempting to twist the fellow’s wrist, and thus force him to drop the rapier. But Bertrand’s hold was not broken thus easily, and with his left hand he tore Bart’s fingers from his throat.
“Dog!” he huskily hissed. “Throw a chair at me, will you? Now I am going to fix you!”
Then the struggle for the possession of the rapier began, Defarge doing his best to cast Bart away long enough to lift and thrust with the weapon.
Bart knew it was a fight for his very life, as the French youth was wrought to a pitch of rage that robbed him entirely of his reason. There was a terrible glare in his eyes. His teeth were set and a white froth began to form on his parted lips.
With all his strength he strove to twist away from Bart’s grip, but Hodge held fast.
“Steady!” Bart growled. “You can’t do it!”
“I will! I will!” panted Defarge. “I’ll kill you!”
“You may find that I’m quite as hard to kill as Frank Merriwell.”
“You lie! You came here to insult me and make lying charges against me. You shall pay for it!”
Again Defarge gave a mighty twist and tried to fling Hodge off. They reeled against a chair, which was overturned. Then Bart’s feet struck against the chair, and he fell backward to the floor, his grip on Defarge’s wrist being broken as he went down.