Page:Roy Norton--The unknown Mr Kent.djvu/231

 in the garden late one night, and absorbed in thought, was abruptly startled lay a soft crashing sound in the laurels on either side and suddenly realised that he was in the midst of a huge thicket where, if it came to a struggle, he would have but small chance. He whirled with the intention of running to a better field; but his foot caught on a rope that had been tied across the path, and he fell headlong. A man crashed through the bushes on one side and threw himself on Kent before the latter could regain his feet. He gathered his big powerful body that had in youth been inured by hard work and hard blattlesbattles [sic] with lumbermen, and threw himself quickly to one side, broke the hold on his arms with a sharp wrench, and rolled on top of his assailant. His hope had been to get to his feet; but the man beneath, disappointed in one way, took advantage of another and shifted his hold to Kent's neck. Instantly another adversary caught the American's heels and jerked his legs from under him so that he sprawled at length on the man in the path. Kent lifted his arm to strike and another man seized it strongly and clung to it. Kent's left fist struck this new assailant and elicited a grunt. Then, whilst he was trying to land a second blow, another man was added to the corps of assailants.

Kent fought so well that it took the best efforts of the four men to subdue him, after which he [227]