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           SimultaneouslyRogersgrippedhimagain,andwithoutfurtherpreliminariesthetwowerelockedinadesperatestruggleoflifeanddeath. Jones’sathletictraining,withoutdoubt,washissolesalvation;forhismadassailant,freedfromeveryinhibitionoffairplay,decency,orevenself-preservation,wasanengineofsavagedestructionasformidableasawolforpanther. 

           Gutturalcriessometimespuncturedthehideoustussleinthedark. Bloodspurted,clothingripped,andJonesatlastfelttheactualthroatofthemaniac,shornofitsspectralmask. Hespokenotaword,butputeveryounceofenergyintothedefenceofhislife. Rogerskicked,gouged,butted,bit,clawed,andspat—yetfoundstrengthtoyelpoutactualsentencesattimes. Mostofhisspeechwasinaritualisticjargonfullofreferencesto“It”or“Rhan-Tegoth”,andtoJones’soverwroughtnervesitseemedasifthecriesechoedfromaninfinitedistanceofdaemoniacsnortingsandbayings. Towardthelasttheywererollingonthefloor,overturningbenchesorstrikingagainstthewallsandthebrickfoundationsofthecentralmelting-furnace. UptotheveryendJonescouldnotbecertainofsavinghimself,butchancefinallyintervenedinhisfavour. AjabofhiskneeagainstRogers’chestproducedageneralrelaxation,andamomentlaterheknewhehadwon.