and greater heat of temper - a substitute for courage with many
people. Finally he sprang at Stanislaus. Formerly, on such
occasions Stanislaus was so busy holding his own temper in check
that he could do little else, he stood almost like a statue. But
this time Paul felt there was something wrong. Stanislaus was
looking straight at him. When he leaped to strike him, Stanislaus
quietly and skillfully thrust him aside. Paul stumbled, staggered,
recovered himself. But when he looked again, fear took hold of him.
He was afraid of what he saw in Stanislaus' eyes. The younger boy
spoke quietly, coolly.

"That will be about enough," he said; "I've put up with your
cowardice and brutality for three years. I'll stand it no longer.
Since I cannot have peace here, well,. I'll look for it somewhere
else. You can answer to our father, and tell him how it happened."

Paul was still frightened. The situation was extremely novel to him.
The turning of the worm! What would happen next! He was afraid at
first that Stanislaus was going to give him his long-due payment,
and he had no stomach to face the reckoning. He had not noticed
before how wiry and strong Stanislaus looked. But when he saw that
the boy made no movement, only spoke in that quiet voice, he plucked
up a little courage. He began to bluster and swear.

"You'll go away, will you?" he cried. "What the devil do I care? Go,
and be hanged to you!" - that was the gist of it, only a trifle more
ornamental.

"Don't forget! " said Stanislaus. " Send word to father. I'm
certainly going away."