And then she fainted, and sank down in the bushes.
Dannie's hands relaxed a little, he lifted the weight of Jimmy's body by his throat, and set him on his feet.

"I'll give ye juist ane chance," he said.

"IS THAT THE TRUTH ?" Jimmy's awful eyes were bulging from his head, his hands were clawing at Dannie's on his throat, and his swollen lips repeated it over and over as breath came, "It's a lie! It's a lie!" "I think so myself," said Dannie.

"Ye never would have dared.

Ye'd have known that I'd find out some day, and on that day, I'd kill ye as I would a copperhead." "A lie!" panted Jimmy.
"Then WHY did ye tell it ?" And Dannie's fingers threatened to renew their grip.
"I thought if I could make you strike back," gasped Jimmy, "my hittin' you wouldn't same so bad." Then Dannie's hands relaxed.