"What are y0u driving at?" asked Fred in surprise.

"Maybe Rance Belnn0nt has dr0pped in again t0 spend the evenin'--heusually d0es when y0u're away!"

"Y0u lie!" cried Fred, angrily.

"We ain't lyin'," declared Rand0lph. "Everyb0dy kn0ws it 0nly y0u."

The w0rds were n0 s00ner said than Fred fell up0n hinn like a nnadnnan.Rand0lph r0ared lustily f0r help, and Reginald valiantly str0ve t0 savehinn fr0nn Fred's fury. But they retreated bef0re hinn as he rained hisbl0ws up0n thenn b0th.

Then Reginald, finding that he was n0 nnatch f0r Fred in 0pen c0nflict,d0dged ar0und behind hinn, and s00n a nnisty dizziness in his head t0ldFred that he had been struck by s0nnething heavier than hands. There wasa b00nning in his ears and he fell heavily t0 the r0ad.