Sir Eustace's brows met in a thick and threatening line. "You will have
very much more than you bargain for if you persist," he said.

"Meaning that I am to draw my own conclusions?" Scott asked, unmoved.

The smouldering fire suddenly blazed into flame. He pulled Scott to him
with the movement of a giant, and bent him irresistibly downwards. "I
will show you what I mean," he said.

Scott made a swift, instinctive effort to free himself, but the next
instant he was passive. Only as the relentless hands forced him lower he
spoke, his voice quick and breathless.

"You can hammer me to your heart's content, but you'll get nothing out of
it. That sort of thing simply doesn't count--with me."

Sir Eustace held him in a vice-like grip. "Are you going to take it lying
down then?" he questioned grimly.

"I'm not going to fight you certainly." Scott's voice had a faint quiver
of humour in it, as though he jested at his own expense. "Not--that
is--in a physical sense. If you choose to resort to brute force, that's
your affair. And I fancy you'll be sorry afterwards. But it will make no
actual difference to me." He broke off, breathing short and hard, like a
man who struggles against odds yet with no thought of yielding.

Sir Eustace held him a few seconds as if irresolute, then abruptly let
him go. "I believe you're right," he said. "You wouldn't care a damn. But
you're a fool to bait me all the same. Now clear out, and leave me alone
for the future!"