"Faddo got on to his feet. He was bigger built than Lancy, and a bit
taller, and we all knew he was devilish strong in his arms. There was a
look in his face I couldn't understand. One minute I thought it was fear,
and another I thought it was daze; and maybe it was both. But all on a
sudden something horrible cunnin' come into it, and ugly too.

"'Go to the well, then, since ye've found out all about it,' he says,
'but aw've an hour and a half start o' ye, Lancy Doane.'

"'Ye've less than that,' says Lancy back to him, 'if ye go with me to the
sands first.'

"At that my uncle stepped in to say a word for peacemakin', but Lancy
would have none of it. 'Take the knife and throw it on the table,' he
said to Faddo once more, and Faddo took it out and threw it down.

"'Come on, then,' Faddo says, with a sneerin' laugh; 'we'll see by
daybreak who has the best o' this night's work,' and he steps towards the
door.

"'Wait a minute,' says Lancy, gettin' in front of him. 'Now take the
knife from your boot. Take it,' he says again, 'or aw will. 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