Mr. Ricketts looked perplexed. "'Art disease, d'ye mean?" he inquired,
hopefully. "Can't he fight no more?"

"A new 'art," said Mr. Billing. "It's as strong as ever it was, but it's
changed--brother."

"If you call me 'brother' agin I'll give you something for yourself, and
chance it," said Mr. Ricketts, ferociously. "I'm a pore man, but I've
got my pride."

Mr. Billing, with a smile charged with brotherly love, leaned his left
cheek towards him. "Hit it," he said, gently.

"Give it a smack and run, Bill," said the voice of a well-wisher inside.

"There'd be no need for 'im to run," said Mr. Billing. "I wouldn't hit
'im back for anything. I should turn the other cheek."

"Whaffor?" inquired the amazed Mr. Ricketts.

"For another swipe," said Mr. Billing, radiantly.

In the fraction of a second he got the first, and reeled back staggering.
The onlookers from the bar came out hastily. Mr. Ricketts, somewhat
pale, stood his ground.

"You see, I don't hit you," said Mr. Billing, with a ghastly attempt at a
smile.