That's like a
man, to go to a fist fight wi' knives. Take it,' he said. 'Aw'll gi' ye
till aw count four, and if ye doan't take it, aw'll take it meself. One!'
he says steady and soft. 'Two!' Faddo never moved. 'Three!' The silence
made me sick, and the clock ticked like hammers. 'Four!' he said, and
then he sprang for the boot, but Faddo's hand went down like lightnin'
too. I couldn't tell exactly how they clinched but once or twice I saw
the light flash on the steel. Then they came down together, Faddo under,
and when I looked again Faddo was lying eyes starin' wide, and mouth all
white with fear, for Lancy was holding the knife-point at his throat.
'Stir an inch,' says Lancy, 'and aw'll pin ye to the lid o' hell.'
"Three minutes by the clock he knelt there on Faddo's chest, the
knife-point touching the bone in's throat. Not one of us stirred, but
just stood lookin', and my own heart beat so hard it hurt me, and my
uncle steadyin' himself against the dresser. At last Lancy threw the
knife away into the fire.
"'Coward!' he said. 'A man would ha' taken the knife. Did you think aw
was goin' to gie my neck to the noose just to put your knife to proper
use? But don't stir till aw gie you the word, or aw'll choke the breath
o' life out o' ye.'
"At that Faddo sprung to clinch Laney's arms, but Laney's fingers caught
him in the throat, and I thought surely Faddo was gone, for his tongue
stood out a finger-length, and he was black in the face.
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