The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-04-05
"Come and get me-" he said.

Come and get me" ne S1td.
blade held by the huge desperate he
had come unarmed to capture. His
pride and the wonderful moral puts
sance that ground out courageous
deeds from heart sinking apprehension
urged him forward another step. Ari-
IONA Dan laughed low, half sober but
chilling laugh. So quiet it was that
the voice of the brook sounded in the
sheriff's ears like the derisiye mockery
of men at his poltroonery.
For one instant Radcliff Conrad
swung in the balance. An all pervad-
ing panic seized him, and the foot he
lifted,t to take forward step weighed
hundred pounds. The rustling of a
branch to his right above the path
drew from him swift glance, and he
looked for ten seconds into two dark
eyes that seemed to flash some strange.
exalting essence into his veins. A
weight seemed loosened somewhere
within him. and he felt that he could
hear it fall down, down to unsounded
depths. He looked at Arizona Dan and
laughed low and joyously as child
, does who has come upon a long de-
sired toy.
"Will you come?' said the sheriff in
a tone bridegroom might have used
! to his bride
"TN cut your heart out, Rad Con
rad said Arizona Dan, "if you come
two steps nra"er."
,Boadice. L he ledge above, rustled
4 a little an,. sheriff, without looking
up, smiled: \. Arizona Dan held his
| knife as q, lids a foil, point out
1 ward, Will. thumb against the
guard. The shef touched some three
/ inches like cat d i seemed to gather
himself together with his weight bal
4 anced evenly on each foot. Arizona
Dan stood still with his knife ready.
Was Rad Conrad fool enoughHo attack
him with his bare hands?
The sheriff could have shouted for
j ioy. Like a fash valor and audacious
4 courage had come upon him. He felt
4 that he would never know fear again
4 Something had passed into his blood
i that had made him man instead oil
1.-THE spurious being he had been. He
felt the two dark eyes above fixed upoI
him, but he kept his own upon Arizons
Dams.
Heretofore the sheriff's exploits haG
been attended by fortuitous chance
that brought him safely out Of them
chance just as blind and Incompetent
I sible as that which guards the ways o
4 children and drunkards. Now he fel
II ;to1, +,
do coupled with the prudence Of thu
successful general that gives drawer.
its value Half miracle had been &C
complished. The other half was to fol
low.
1t must have been that Arizona DAN
!, nerves were unstrung by his debauch
else when a small stone dislodged b,
Boadiceas foot ratified down to tn
. path at his side he would not have be
, slowed the advantage Of turning hi
head quickly to look. But he did sc
and in the instant the sheriff had hi
knife arm by the wrist and his othe
arm about his waist. Then Arizon
Dan was filed with surprise to feel tn
i arm that held his knife slowly twistin
/ in spite Of all his resistance-twistin
/ outward, until the tendons and muscle
5 We're cracking.N The sheriff's hand wa
] like steel clamp, and when the pal
!, grew unbearable Arizona Dan droppe
!, the knife. When the sheriff heard
ring on the rocks, he released the wris
t suddenly and laid his left forearl
I across Dams throat They were to
: close for blows, and there was littl
struggling or shifting of ground
4 The arm across Arizona Dams thros
9 pushed his head back, and the othe
/ iron band about his waist held hi
! close. 1t was a silent, fierce, strainin
i contention on one side for the displac
y ment and on the other to regain IL
center Of gravity The side for di