all he said. In the first place, he had no legal right, under the
circumstances, to go as close to murder as it might be for him to throw the
rock at the rascal's head. Moreover, Harry would hardly have exercised
such a legal right, had he possessed it, without the strongest provocation.

From the black prowler came a sudden, fierce snort. It sounded altogether
like defiance.

"Ho---ho! You're finding your voice, are you, my man?" Hazelton jeered.
"Then talk up in time to save yourself!"

Instead the huge black man began to writhe forward.

"Stop that!" ordered Harry dangerously. He did not retreat from the
writhing human thing, but he took better aim, noting that the black man was
hatless and that his head offered a fair mark. "You're going to get hurt
in just about a second more," he added.

Uttering another snort the bulky black sprang to his feet with surprising
agility in one of his great size.

Harry now let his right hand fall back quickly. He was poising for the
throw in earnest, for there could no longer be any doubt that the stranger
was planning a deadly assault.

"Take it, then, since you want it!" snapped out Harry Hazelton. The
fragment of rock left his hand, propelled with force and directed with
accurate aim at the negro's face.

But the crafty black dodged just in time, at the same instant throwing up