Белый клык
The Clinging Death
Likeacat,WhiteFangbowedhishind-quartersin,and,withthefeetdiggingintohisenemy’sabdomenabovehim,hebegantoclawwithlongtearing-strokes. CherokeemightwellhavebeendisembowelledhadhenotquicklypivotedonhisgripandgothisbodyoffofWhiteFang’sandatrightanglestoit.
Therewasnoescapingthatgrip. ItwaslikeFateitself,andasinexorable. Slowlyitshiftedupalongthejugular. AllthatsavedWhiteFangfromdeathwasthelooseskinofhisneckandthethickfurthatcoveredit. ThisservedtoformalargerollinCherokee’smouth,thefurofwhichwell-nighdefiedhisteeth. Butbitbybit,wheneverthechanceoffered,hewasgettingmoreofthelooseskinandfurinhismouth. TheresultwasthathewasslowlythrottlingWhiteFang.Thelatter’sbreathwasdrawnwithgreaterandgreaterdifficultyasthemomentswentby.
Itbegantolookasthoughthebattlewereover. ThebackersofCherokeewaxedjubilantandofferedridiculousodds. WhiteFang’sbackerswerecorrespondinglydepressed,andrefusedbetsoftentooneandtwentytoone,thoughonemanwasrashenoughtocloseawageroffiftytoone. ThismanwasBeautySmith. HetookastepintotheringandpointedhisfingeratWhiteFang.Thenhebegantolaughderisivelyandscornfully. Thisproducedthedesiredeffect. WhiteFangwentwildwithrage. Hecalleduphisreservesofstrength,andgainedhisfeet. Ashestruggledaroundthering,thefiftypoundsofhisfoeeverdraggingonhisthroat,hisangerpassedonintopanic. Thebasiclifeofhimdominatedhimagain,andhisintelligencefledbeforethewillofhisfleshtolive. Roundandroundandbackagain,stumblingandfallingandrising,evenuprearingattimesonhishind-legsandliftinghisfoeclearoftheearth,hestruggledvainlytoshakeofftheclingingdeath.
