At the end of the first half-hour it stood at ten all.

Throgton, a grim look upon his face, had settled down to work, playing with one knee on the table.

Kent, calm but alive with excitement, leaned well forward to his stroke, his eye held within an inch of the ball.
At fifteen they were still even.

Throgton with a sudden effort forced a break of three; but Kent rallied and in another twenty minutes they were even again at nineteen all.
But it was soon clear that Transome Kent had something else in mind than to win the game.

Presently his opportunity came.