The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-06-22

must necessarily emu IN q drawn battle
Neither had received stroke, although
several well-directed ones had been sent
in by both.
After awhile, BraXton made femt
with his right and followed il by "A sud.
den blow with his left which Pat part
~ parted, but it struck him upon one
side of his forehead with force sufficient
to stagger him and turn him half way
about.
BraXton followed up his advantage
by springng in and graphing, believ-
ing. with good reason, that with his Sill
perior size and strength, he could quick
ly crush the life out of the Irishman.
lie flung his arms about the arms and
body of the latter, thus pinioning him,
and then he eXerted the whole power of
his muscles to crush the breath out of
him.
1t was fearful moment for Pat. lie
felt as if his body was being crushed in
a vice. He felt his eyeballs starting
from their sockets, and it seemed that
his brains were bursting through his
skull, while innumerable stars and
planets and meteors in all the variegat-
ed hues of the rainbow were dancing in
may figures before his vision.
He felt his breath stop, and he
thought surely his last moment had
come. He knew it was the purpose of
his antagonist to kill him, but he would
not die thus. With an effort almost
Superhrman, he writhed himself from
under the heavy body that lay atop of
him, and succeeded in disengaging one
of his arms. Quick as lightning. with
his freed hand he grasped the throat of
BraXton. His fingers frightened upon
his neck until they almost buried them
selves in the flesh. BraXtons face
changed from its natural swarthy hue
to purple, his tongue lolled from his
mouth, his eyeballs protruded from
their sockets, he tried to breathe, but
there was a structure upon his wind
pipe that would not permit the passage
of the life-giving air. His muscles re-
Taxed, his grasp lOosened upon the body
of the lrishman. his limbs quivered and
and he lay as if dead.
Then, and not till then Pat loosened
his grasp upon his throat, but he still
near him in case the ruilian
to renew the conflict when he
should have recovered.
In little while BraXtOH began to pX-
hibit signs of returning consciousness.
He gaSped painfully. his whole body
luivercd. and his eyeballs retreated to
their sockets. After a few gaSps. he
began to breathe more naturally. and
soon animation and consciousness were
entirely restored.
He made a motion as if to rise. but
the lrishman's fingers again closed up
On his throat, and he heard the voice of
that individual in low but stern tones:
mo. We don't me foine rascal. Ye
don't git on yer fate agin Until We give
me yer word of honor that yen be
paceable"
"Neyer" gurgled BraXton as he at
.empted to throw the IriShman off him
md rise TO his feet.
Thin I'll be under the painful noces-
,ity of squa2in' yer beautiful wind-pipe
lgin," said Pat, and he proceeded to
tighten his grasp.
Hold ON. Hold on. Don't murder
me-" gaSped BraXton through his half
closed wind-pipe.
"Will ye promise to be paceable thin?"
Pat, applying an extra press
Ire to his throat, which caused his |
,yeballs to leap outward from their
,ockrts again.
"Ye--s. Yes, promise; only let me
Ip," begged the apparently yanquiShed
'illain.
Pat relaxed his grasp and permitted
lis enemy to rise to his feet; but the
irst act Of BraXton after his release.
showed that he was far from being
oenitent. He sprang to where his rifle
stood and grasping that weapon, leveled
t at the breast of the man who had re-
eased him; but before he could draw
the trigger, Pat sprang upon him.
the rifle from his grasp and
struck it against the trunk of tree
with such force that the stock was shiy-
cred, and the weapon rendered useless
as a fire arm. Then he sprang toward
the treacherous villain with the excla-
nation:
"Ye dirthy whelp, | ought to take yer
bloody life fur this"
But if Pat was the superior in fight.
Braxton demonstrated beyond the shad- |
ow of dispute that in tleetness on re-
treat he was more than his match: for
although the IriShman made the best
use he could Of his legs in the pursuit
BraXton quickly distanced him, and
was soon ont of sight among the trees.
CHAPTER XIV.
FIRE IN THE WOODS.
mat summer was an unusually hot |
and dry one throughout the state of
Michigan and in fact throughout most
no, -