For a long moment he glared at Steve, as if the very ferocity of his looks might cow his antagonist. But finally it was he, not Steve, who dropped his eyes. He turned to his followers.
"Enough of this!" he snarled. "The stranger lies. Destroy him and his fellow males. The Women are ours."
And again the hands of the eight adventurers tightened upon their hilts. But strangely the blood-lust of the prison band seemed to have cooled. One who had pressed most ardently now voiced the doubt of his fellows.
"That we cannot do now, O Rodrik," he demurred. "He has put the question—challenged you, the ruler of our band, to private combat. The challenge must be met. It is the Law."
Rodrik's fair cheeks flamed with sudden anger.
"Fool! Can you not see he is a braggart and a liar? At him—"
"It is the Law!" repeated the other man stubbornly.
"Very well, then!" cried Rodrik, goaded out of patience. "See how I meet and destroy this interloper—"
And in one blurring motion he whirled, lashed his sword from his belt, and hurled himself upon Steve.