eeifshedon't.'
'She'dbetternotcomeroundmy'ouseI'llsoongive'erwotfor.'
MeanwhileLizawasstandingatonecornerofthering,tremblingalloverandcryingbitterly.Oneofhereyeswasbungedup,andherhair,alldishevelled,washangingdownoverherface.Twoyoungfellows,whohadconstitutedthemselvesherseconds,werestandinginfrontofher,offeringratherironicalcomfort.Oneofthemhadtakenthebottomcornersofherapronandwasfanningherwithit,whiletheotherwasshowingherhowtostandandholdherarms.
'Youstandupto'er,Liza,'hewassaying'thereain'tnogoodfunkin'it,you'llsimplygetitalltheworse.You'it'erback.Give'eroneontheboko,likethis—seeyermustshowabitofpluck,yerknow.'
Lizatriedtocheckhersobs.
'Yus,'it'er'ard,that'swotyer'vegotterdo,'saidtheother.'An'ifyerfindshe'sgettin'thebetteronyer,youcloseon'erandcatch'oldof'er'airandscratch'er.'
'You'vemarked'erwithyernails,Liza.Bygosh,youdidflyonherwhenshespatatyer!thet'sthewayterdothejob!'
Thenturningtohisfellow,hesaid:
'D'yerrememberthetfightasoldMotherCregg'adwithanotherwomaninthestreetlastyear?'
'Na,'heanswered,'Ineversawthet.'
'Itwasacawkeran'thecopscomeinandtook'embothoffterquod.'
Lizawishedthepolicemenwouldcomeandtakeheroffshewouldwillinglyhavegonetoprisontoescapethefiendinfrontofherbutnohelpcame.
'Time'sup!'shoutedthereferee.'Fireaway!'
'Tikecareofthecops!'shoutedaman.
'There'snofearabahtthem,'answeredsomebodyelse.'Theyalwayskeepsoutofthewaywhenthere'sanythin'goin'on.'
'Fireaway!'
Mrs.BlakestonattackedLizamadlybutthegirlstoodupbravely,andaswellasshecouldgavebacktheblowsshereceived.Thespectatorsgrewtremendouslyexcited.
'Got'imagain!'theyshouted.'Giveit'er,Liza,thet'sagood'un!—'it'er'ard!'
'Twoteroneontheold'un!'shoutedasportinggentlemanbutLizafoundnobackers.
'Ain'tshestandin'upwellnowshe'sroused?'criedsomeone.
'Oh,she'sgotsomepluckin'er,she'as!'
'Thet'saknock-aht!'theyshoutedasMrs.BlakestonbroughtherfistdownontoLiza'snosethegirlstaggeredback,andbloodbegantoflow.Then,losingallfear,madwithrage,shemadearushonherenemy,andraineddownblowsalloverhernoseandeyesandmouth.Thewomanrecoiledatthesuddenviolenceoftheonslaught,andthemencried:
'ByGod,thelittle'un'sgettin'thebestofit!'
ButquicklyrecoveringherselfthewomanclosedwithLiza,anddughernailsintoherflesh.Lizacaughtholdofherhairandpulledwithallhermight,andturningherteethonMrs.Blakestontriedtobiteher.Andthusforaminutetheyswayedabout,scratching,tearing,biting,sweatandbloodpouringdowntheirfaces,andtheireyesfixedononeanother,bloodshotandfullofrage.Theaudienceshoutedandcheeredandclappedtheirhands.
'Wotthe'ell'sup'ere?'
'Isy,lookthere,'saidsomeofthewomeninawhisper.'It'sthe'usbind!'
Hestoodontiptoeandlookedoverthecrowd.
'MyGawd,'hesaid,'