Evening star., 1893-10-07

there was the same old ring near the Eure-
ka saloon, only II was bigger: seemed &c
the whul camp was out. seemed as IL there
was stir such one sees when there's
Ire and death in IL. / thought IL was kin
der GURUS that Silas and )Snifer should hev
been sparrin' and maxim fun for the camp
aii this time: / leaves O'Mailey to put up
his 'oss and I hurries up to the ring of
pals and others, and without a word they
makes way for me, and some looked at me
fearful and inquiring like.
Ihe next minute i was inside the circle,
ana there 1 sees my lad, his jacket off, a
handkerchief tied round MS head, his shirt
sleeves turned up. ami his feet bare. He
had his knife in his hand, that IL the knife
as was the bully's, his face was pale. his
eye steady as hawks, his lips glued to
each other; and facing him was Abner
Digges. stripped to his shirt, and watching
the lad with devilish look. but without
the naughty sneer that vas gineral with
him when fightin'. 1t didn't need nobody
to tell me that a fight was goin' on-the
most unequal fight had ever seen.
My first impulse was TO rush in and stop
II; my second thought was that to rattle
the thing for a second might c,,st Silas his
life; and Kentucky Rust in a whisper says
and j shall never forget it-'Hold your
breath, pard, the Lords on the side of
David, and right away II came into my
mind to think of David and Goliath. and
held my breath as Kentucky Rust had bid
den me.
1T seemed that after I'd gone to the
lShu ttidt olldS ndu trlppeu DlSScs lne
knifer in their play, whether by accident
or design, and Digges had got mad: and
then some Of the boys slang satiricai OBJ
servations at him. and he got tearin' wild.
My young pard said nothin'. but smiled
In a way as Digges didn't like. and then he
let on about Ola Top-that's me-and said
L was loafer and cyote and other on
pleasant things, and at that my pard let
OUT IN his turn; and one word led to another.
and all in second, like streak or light
ning as don't seem exactly to belong to the
immediate weather, my young pard he
strloes out and defies the Knifer, and chal-
ienges MIN to fight IL out with knives.
And 50 II come about. and there was
that In the lads manner and walk, and the
way he drew on the other. that IL was set
tied there and then: and Silas was took I'm
hand by Daisy Jim, and old Grubber Bill
stood by the Knifer; and things was Just
that way when / comes up.
Not to my dyin' day shall I forgit the
picture Of them two-David and Goliath.
message from One above when Kentucky
Rust minded me Of the lad with the sling.
and the great blowing giant with his sword.
There they stood. Breathe? Why / couldn't
My heart stood still. I thought bit OF
a prayer--the fust since they built the Eure-
ka saloon; and / believe most Of the boys
1elt that way. 1t was $50 still you could
hear the smallest kind of breeze in the
And my young pard so awful quiet. like a
tiger. Digges had never before fought a
feller that would pull of his boots and con-
tend barefoot
the two. as IL they'd been flung at each
other sprung forward. I daren't look
couldn't: 1 felt what was goin' on without
SEEM II.
'"The lad was 1.-the as a panther: seemed
to cucumber the other one second. to be
free OF him the next. There was cries of
the lookers-on-cries and groans. fearful
and glad: II was OH one second and 'Ah,'
t,f.dx tran trA Io~
whereas in most fights men reckoned not
TO show their feelin's
II was fairly blinded with funk YES
own It, I believe I cried-rm sure I shut
my eyes. The whul business didn't last
three minutes. Then there was a shrek
that was stranger than anything-a wo-
mans long riercing shrek: not agony. not
pain. but fright. terror-Heaven knows
what! pressed forward
There was Ahner Dieees down on his
back with Slas Goodies knife in his heart.
and Silas. NV victorious partner. sitting cn
the ground with his two hands over his
eyes. It's a woman-a womsnr half the
camp shouted together. Her shrek Of hor-
ror. the woma nish action OF recoiline from
the bSSd s% ama ,s. her face
this pard OF mine. was in truth a young
WOMAN.
'She got M and owned II. ana she said
have all been verv eond to me-suuare and
STRAIGHT she said. all excent h'-n. end II
was to 500 hin, come here. for Ned Clover
was nv husband
And then every man went up and shook
bands with her. and nary one hut said she'd
done right and narv one brt said ne hoped
ene'd stav. and she should 20 on being
Sflas Goode. and they'd never question he-
and. nv thunder, not a ma, of them would.
But she'd rather 90: she'd done what she
come to do. she said. end the next morning
she woe up earlv and druv her distance
in oMal'ev's cart. end I Civ her the true
and rfehtful share Of the money Ned Glover
was to hev as my pertner. And do you
think ] mind the chaf thew gives me
now and then about my nrestv pard. Silas
Not me. for never once did suspect her IN
he more woman than Is GOOD for p man to
have in him. being a bit tender like and
In that can,n that wouldn't hev given twen-
tv wears ~ his life. and all the fortune nc
was seekin. to become the married partner