A Terrible Struggle.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 184, 25 December 1886, Page 8

A Terrible Struggle.

<? tear's eyes were still riveted on the cur- , tain which hung at tho back of the Centurion's beleaguered corner. As the last ■words were spoken a tremendou3 motion stirred the heavy folds. Then they were Suddenly and silently parted immediately behind the lovers, an>l through tho opening the gigantic form of the Nubian bodyeervant was launched upon the Centurion in re&r. The steward followed him like & -ehftdow, and simultaneously gripped Ncvra from behind. The aurprised and helpless girl "was speedily dragged apart and disarmed ; but to force her lover to euccutnb was a wore difficult task. His weapon, poised readily but lightly in Ms hund, was whirled away by a sudden blow, and the horroretricken Centurion, at the same instant, felt himself strained in an embrace which well-nigh stopped his respiration. By a marvellous contraction and eel-like movement of the body, however, he succeeded in releasing his arms and twisting himself into a position more face to face with hia assailant. He wa3 thus enabled to grapple on fairer terma, and a terrible struggle ensued. The Nubian wae a giant in stature. Ho topped bis tall antagonist by a head, and enfolded him with an overwhelming bulk. Hie huge, thick limbs and muscles, his vast breadth of chest, denoted enormous power ; but it was a slow, ponderous, elephantine strength, overloaded with the superfluous flesh of ease and good feeding On the other hand, hia opponent wa? litho, supple, and active as a tiger — a consummate ath lete, with thews and sinews of steel. In -addition, he. was inspired with a fury it is impossible to describe — rage at the manner in which he had been tricked, agony of desperation as he heard the faint ciies of Xewra. With every muscle strained to its utmost tension they swayed round and round, Macro, seeing the favourabla opportunity, called on his men to join in the struggle and secure the entrapped Centurion ; but the voice of Tiberiun broka in with the brief word •* Hold !'' They glanced at him in Burpriee, and caw hi 3 uplifted hand and iis eyes bent on the wrestlers vnth eager Interest. Nothing loth, therefore, thoy stood still to watch the issue of the atrugglo. The knotted veins, the corded muscles, the mighty strength of the combatants, aa they rocketd to and fro and panted with terrible efforts, impressed the onlookers 'with awe and thrilled them »vith excitement. The immense Nubian wa- a mountain of bone and riesh. To move him was like moving a column of the palare He followed no plan but that of trying to bear down his lighter antagonist by blilv waitrht And brute force. Martially felt tli^fc these tactics, rude as they were, rnujt finally prevail, if the contest were audered to go on much longer. Mad with passion, he gathered every atom of his strength and art iuto a la^t fren/.ied effort. Finding it impoa-ible to lift the ponderous, inanimate mass in hi* arms by main force, he swerved, as quick and sudden as light, and thrust forwaid hi* left hip, usinjj it as a fulcrum, over which the astonished slave felt himself whirled from lih feet with irresistible force. With his lejjs living 1 onnd in the air, like the spokee of ;i wheel, he was dashed on tha floor with a tren.^adoua concussion, wbicb stunned him and sb:x>k tho icom. — Keaira.