"No, no, you may kill me if you like, but I won't," a woman's voice replied.
Bob saw the man lift his hand to strike her, but before it fell he had rushed upon him, and hurled him aside.
"Who are you, and what do yer want?" cried the fellow, interlarding his question with foul epithets.
"No matter who I am, or what I want," replied Bob. "Leave that woman alone."
The man eyed Bob for a moment, stealthily, and then without warning rushed upon him.
A minute later the two men were struggling wildly. The man was strongly but clumsily built, and lacked the agility and muscular force of the young athlete. But Bob's victory did not come easily. Again and again the fellow renewed his attack, while the woman stood by with a look of terror in her eyes.
"Save me," she cried, again and again, "or he will kill me."
At length, by a well-planted blow, Bob sent his opponent staggering to the ground. The man was stunned for a second, but only for a second. He raised himself to his feet slowly.
"All right, guv'ner, you have beaten me," he said. "It wasn't my fault; if she weren't so b—— obstinate, there would have been no trouble."
Then evidently hearing some one near by, he shouted aloud: "I say,
Bill, come here;" and Bob realised that a new danger was at hand.