Arizona republican., 1900-12-09


 His silence and coolness enraged the assassin beyond control. His blood was up Demons of hell tore at his heart. He was no longer a man but a devil, vindictive, cruel, heartIess.
 He raised his whip and struck Mr. Graham heavy blow on the head. The wounded man swam in darkness, while every snowflake was a twink ling star. He put his hand slowly to his dazed head, swayed, recovered, tot tered and fell to the wheel and then To the ground The cool snow almost i'm mediately restored him to life and viz liance. He rose. wiped his bleeding nose and prepared for the inevitable combat.
 As MT. Graham fell from the wagon the scout gave a savage whoop of ex- ultation that startled the horses and caused the boy to cover and shrink pitifully: Dropping the lines on the dashboard, he sprang from the wagon and started toward h.s victim, red murder in his heart.
 Neither had weapons of any kind. It was to be mighty struggle, hand to hand, knee to knee. back to back. Sinew must strain against sinew, and muscle must swell and knot in pro digious effort against muscle. One, perhaps both, must die.
 The scout was the stronger man and, moreover, he was familiar witch the younger days and had emerged victor from many scientific match. But he was partially drunk now, and his
 
 tain.
 MT. Graham lifted his eyes toward Heaven for a moment, thought of a lonely orphan waiting his coming in the solitude of their canyon home, and stood calmly waiting the onslaught, bare-headed and bleeding.
 When Spence dropped the Mines and leaped from the wagon, the horses, startled by his wild, unearthly yell, and thrilled by the sudden loossning of the reins, sprang frightened into their sweating collars and ran. The little boy, shivering with fear and cold, snuggled down into a corner of the box and covered his head with the blankets.
 It was now about two o'clock.
 Spence rushed forward, fiendish joy Illuminating his purple face. He longed for the fray. He spurnsd the ground like a spirited cavalry horse at the bugle call to charge" His long, bony fingers opened and shut on the frosty air as though clutching a human throat.
 He stopped at arms length and threw up his arms in pugiNstic aIti tude. The thin, blue air grew thick with his sulphurous curses. As he savagely aimed the fierce blows that were cleverely parried he vented his black heart, and awed his cooler ad- versary by a glimpse of the bottomless pit.
 Try as he would he could not reach his victim. His long arms with their ponderous fists, rose and fell with the regularity of an automaton. With all the cunning ingenuity of the trained pugilist he parried, feinted. passed, and slugged; now an upper cut was tried, now a left-hander. and, again, feint with the left at his opponent : belt and a knock-out blow straight from the shoulder with the herculea I right. All availed him nothing. He slammed and tricked and foiled, and fouled, but could not touch "a vital spot.
 It was a mghty struggle, unheralded, unseen. The scout was fighting for revenge; MT. Graham for life. One was the incarnation of hate, malice and hell; the other of innocence and right. Strength and cunning and train ing were the packers Of the first; agil- fty and justice and suppleness were the seconds of his opponent
 The scout was surprised, chagrinad, and then infuriated beyond control. He. rushed forward and they clinched. The muscles knotted and swelled backs bent and cracked; around and around they tore, hugging, straining, crush ing. They breathed in short, quick gasps, Nike a child choking in deadly croup-throes. Hot precipitation boiled from every pore, and their torn shirts were wet as though dipped in the moaning sea.
 With tacit consent they relaxed their grip, and stood facing each other glar- ing and painting. The scouts red eyes rolled with the frenzy of a bulldog, baffled of his prey. Mir Graham bent slightly forward che better to ease and speedily recuperate the weeping iNil5S' n lllOlilGll they SiOOi llu5s then MT. Graham asked for an expla- nation, and weakly inquired if the matter could not be amicably settled He was cut short by an awful cursa, foul as the blackest sin.
 Again they clinched In deadly em- brace. Again the ferocious struggle for supremacy. Again relaxation, ces- sation, panting and gasping for breath.
 The terrified horses ran furiously along the road for half mile, thea turned off to the righu making a long detour, and coming into the road al most d mile below the combatants Here they turned up the road and dashed toward the struggling men.
 Mir. Graham seeing them, suggests they stop and rescue lthe child, but the scout, at that moment securing a, slight advantage, only cursed and tugged frantically, gritting his teeta like a maddened dog.
 The team dashed by with lowered heads, foaming sides and distended nostrils fiery red. The pumping wa | POO waved he fubItorc I+ d., ,J