What happened in the next brief moments cannot be told in a word. The Great Dane sprang straight at the throat of the young Englishman, who was borne headlong through the doorway, to fall at full length upon the ground. Simultaneously, Max's revolver went off, and the bullet flew high into the roof. The next thing that he knew of was that both his hands were pressed tight into the throat of the huge beast that had pinned him to the ground. Strive as he might, he was not able to rise. By sheer weight and strength Gyp held him down.
"THE GREAT DANE SPRANG STRAIGHT AT THE THROAT OF THE YOUNG ENGLISHMAN."
Then the hound was lifted bodily into the air. Max struggled to his feet, and beheld his uncle, whose great hands grasped the dog by the scruff of the neck. Harden was holding the animal so that it stood upright on its hind-legs, and in that position Gyp was little shorter than he. The dog was almost mad; it snarled like a wild animal, and its white fangs gleamed in the light.
The voice of Cæsar sounded sharp, but calm and collected, in the midst of this turmoil and confusion.
"Gyp," he cried, "come here!"
Edward let go his hold, and immediately the dog lay down, growling at the feet of her master.
"I should like to know," said Edward, "the cause of this disturbance."
"A private matter," said Cæsar, "which concerns no one but de Costa and myself."
But Max, though he had been overthrown by the dog, who had come upon him so unexpectedly, was in no mind to let the matter drop. He was so hot in anger, and his indignation so great, that his lips trembled when he spoke.