you I am determined to possess myself of that ivory ball, and
have it I shall, even though I am obliged to cut out your heart
to get it!" As he spoke he grinned with so extraordinary and
devilish a distortion of his countenance, and with such an
appearance of every intention of carrying out his threat as to
send the goose-flesh creeping like icy fingers up and down our
hero's spine with the most incredible rapidity and acuteness.

Nevertheless, mastering his fears, Jonathan contrived to speak up
with a pretty good appearance of spirit. "Indeed, friend," he
said, "thou appearest to forget that I am a man of twice thy bulk
and half thy years, and that though thou hast a knife I am
determined to defend myself to the last extremity. I am not going
to give thee that which thou demandest of me, and for thy sake I
advise thee to open the door and let me go free as I entered, or
else harm may befall thee."

"Fool!" cried the other, hardly giving him time to end. "Do you,
then, think that I have time to chatter with you while two
villains are lying in wait for me, perhaps at the very door?
Blame your own self for your death!" And, gnashing his teeth with
an indescribable menace, and resting his hand upon the table, he
vaulted with incredible agility clean across it and upon our
hero, who, entirely unprepared for such an extraordinary attack,
was flung back against the wall, with an arm as strong as steel
clutching his throat and a knife flashing in his very eyes with
dreadful portent of instant death.

With an instinct to preserve his life, he caught his assailant by
the wrist, and, bending it away from himself, set every fibre of