The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-04-20

eoRk'SAAS 1855 AAO OpdulSu SlTl ledDeU
down on hor horses neck, unconscious
ly uttering prayers aloud for her
champion. The struggle would be over
in a few minutes. but if RED Clary
whipped him her future layin unknown
and terrible places. That Antywino
was missing seemed a tokeI that the
worst must be in store for her. Sho
was in the grip of an evil force.
Both men threw off their round
abouts and vests. Lincoln faced his
two companions, making them screen,
and hurriedly unfastened the belt OF
gold which he wore under his shirt,
and put it in his hat. This he gave to
Sticky Green, who held it, while Yates
stood guard.
"YoH were cut out for banker,
Sticky" said Lincoln. 81 wasn't. /
might burst the saakeskin and spill
the money"
His opponent rushed at him like
nastiff let loose, and Peggy doubled
herself lower upon the horses neck.
She heard the impact Of blows, which
sent shudder after shudder down her
body, and the painting of spent breath.
The Grove boys set up yell, and sho
stuffed the horses name into her ears.
The big muscular bully who had made
everybody in the Sangamon country
afraid OF him. and shaped public
opinion for the Grove, was taking soms
cruel advantage OF q clean wrestler, I'M
used to sled e-hammer brutality. Then
a hush penetrated even the horsehair,
and Peggy looked as Lincoln knocked
Red Clary fiat beneath the chin OF. a.
startled animal He fell against its
hoofs, and being pulled into the clear
space by one of HIS friends. lay still.
II reckon" said Lincoln, pulling his
own shirt collar wider open, and sitting
on the chest Of drawers to breathe,
he has the wind knocked out OF
him.
"Goody:" Peggy's own cry of thanks
giving was the first sound heard by the
vanquished man. He sat up, blink
ing at those who had seen him
humbled.
Lincoln bent over until his body de-
scribed right angle, and shook one
long horizontal arm at the unim-
paneled jury who would have to render
verdict in this first case which Yates
and he had associated themselves to
win.
"a boy" he painted, is like white
dress: soil him, and he can be washed
and made clean again. But a girl is
like a glass bottle: if you let her fall.
or throw her down and break her, she
is broken forever. Now, men, are you
determined to have this poor little
bottle destroyed?"
There is often speech where there is
no language heard; and Pedro Lorimer
knew he stood by himself from that
instant.
He spurred his horse toward Sticky
to seize the bat and break away with
it. But Antywine darted out of the
cabin and across the open space like
stroke of light, intercepting the
Spaniard. His eyes large with fever,
and his high features impassioned, he
had almost the beauty of an apparitlon.
AS the two encountered, Antywine
seized the horses bits and jerked it
to its launches. He and Pedro Lori.
mer stared at each other. Before the
rider found his balance again Lincoln
asked with whimsical significance:
Boys, how would any Of you like
to get up out Of chill-and-fever, and
find all Clary's Grove helping a
stranger rob you of your own dear
gal?"
A sympathetic and sheepish grin
seemed to relax as much as could be
seen of every rude face; and Pedro
Lorimer, throwing away caution,
spurred over Antywine. The boy fell,
and leaped up, understanding it was
struggle for Peggy. A whirlpool OF
shouts and plunging horses, and men
scrambling to mount, drove all
watchers back. Even Redmond
Clary's voice was heard. denouncing
the man whose part he had taken. The
crowd that had come down New Salem
street seeking Lincoln went back driv-
ing Pedro Lorimer.
Mortified as New Salem people were
by threatened violence, they were un-
able to refrain from cheering. They
crowded to the chest of drawers, where.
left stranded as by a stormy tide, sat
Peggy and Antywine. He held the hat
and snaEeskin which Sticky Green
thrust into his keeping before following
the ebb. The pair chung together,
hearkening to no voices but their own,
as two robins escaping from sons
peril of man, might have felicitated
and comforted each other. The air
was fresh like the breath of the sea
after hot land breeze has gone by.
Mounted all three upon the horse
from which Lincoln had flung Peggy to
Antywine. Lincoln and Yates, and
Sticky filling it's back from name to
tail, made the best haste they could to
the Sangamon. They stood at the top
of the terraced bank while Pedro Lori
mer was rolled down in barrel.
Three times. tradition has it, the
unhappy wretch took his plunge, and
came hobbing up like a buoy. Then
Lincoln and Yates, and the cooling
effect Of the water on those who had
him to pull out, succeeded in moderat-
| ing DODular rage against him Ha ua G