The Grit-advocate., 1904-02-12

mIdable adversary coming on. nor Gl1
he join in the murmurs that arose
among his people. Rather there can
CLINT into his eye. shade of exulta-
tion in his heavy face. Big chief,
he said, simply. Heap fight"
You bet your blame life he'll heap
fight" said Curly, from his position
upon Juan's brawny breast as he held
him down. Hes good for any two Of
you, you screechin' cowards!"
The Indian chief stood silent for
moment, his arms folded across his
breast with that dramatic instinct
never absent from the Indians mind
When he spoke, the scorn and brayad0
in his voice were apparent, and his
words were understood though his
speech was broken.
Big chief" he said, pointing to-
ward Juan. White Calf, me big
chief" pointing to himself Heap
tlght!" Then he clinched his hands
and thrust them forward, knuckles
downward, the Indian sign for death,
fer falling dead or being struck down.
With his delivery this was unmistak.
able. Me" he said. me dead; while
man go. Big chief (meaning Juan
him dead; Injun heap take horse" in
cluding in the sweep Of his gesture all
the outfit OF The white men.
He wants to fight Juan by him,
self" cried Franklin.
Yes. and bgad he's doin' it for pure
love Of fight, and hurray for him"
cried Batterleigh. "Hurray, bows,
Give him cheer!' And, carried away
for the moment by Batterleigh's own
daredevltry, as well as a mans ad-
mration for pluck, they did rise and
give him cheer. They cheered old
White Calf, self-offered champion
knowing that he had death in hun
dred blankets at his back.
There was no time to parley or to
decide. Juan the Mexican was regard
ing the Indian intently. Perhaps he
gathered but little Of the real meaning
Of that which had transpired, but
something in the act or look of the
chieftain aroused and enraged him.
With one swift upheaval of his giant
body, he shook off restraining hands
and sprang forward. He stripped off
has own light upper garment. and stood
as naked and more colossal than his
foe Weapon of his own he had none,
nor cared for any. More primitive even
than his antagonist, he sought for
nothing better than the first weapon
OF primeval man, club which should
extend the sweep Of his own arm.
From the hand Of the nearest Indian
he snatched a war club, not dissimilar
to that which hung at White Calls
wrist, stone-headed beetle, grooved
and bound fast with rawhide to a long.
slender. hardwood handle, which in
turn was sheathed in heavy rawhide
covering, shrunk into steel-like re.
enforcement. Armed alike, naked
alike. savage alike, and purely animal
in the blind desire of battle the two
were at issue before hand could
stay them. All chance of delay or sep,
aration was gone. Both white and red
men fell back and made arena for a
unique and awful combat.
There was moment of measuring
| that grim advance balance STRUCK
when two strong men meet for {
struggle which for either may enc
alone in death. The Indian was mag
niticent in mten, superb in confidence
Fear was not in him. His vast figure
nourished on sweet meat Of the plains
fed by the pure air and developed b,
continual exercise, showed like tn,
torso Of minor Hercules, powerful
but not sluggish in its power Hi
broad and deep chest, here and ther,
spotted with white scars, arched wide
ly for the vital organs, but showed n,
clogging fat. His legs were corde,
and thin. His arms were Plso slende
but showing full OF easy-playin
muscles with power of rapid and IN
hampered strength. Two or thre
inches above the six-feet mark h
stood as he cast off his war bonne
and swept back hand over the stanG
Ing eagle plumes, whipped fast to hi
braided hair. White Calf was him
self giant.
(To be continued)