“As we talked, both of us became excited and we rose and faced one another. In a sudden flash of anger Yasmar, who is a taller man than myself, made a jump for my throat.
“Then he bent me backward over the steamer rail.
“For a moment he held me in that position, glaring at me like a tiger.
“‘Be a little more temperate in your speech,’ he hissed, ‘or something will happen.’
“‘You’d kill me!’ I gasped, as he withdrew his hands.
“‘Well, something will happen,’ he repeated, threateningly.
“‘Why don’t you kill me?’ I said, with a sneer, ‘then you could have everything your own way.’
“‘Will you be reasonable?’
“‘I am reasonable,’ I replied. ‘You come from the West, Yasmar, and those knockdown-and-drag-out Western methods of yours won’t go in the East.’
“He muttered something under his breath.