Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-03-31
CHAPTER V.
[Continued.1 |

=
Just now. however, Mynheer Joe is
made the witness of singular scene.
Two foreigners are at it, hammer and
longs.
How 1t came about 1t woNld be im-
possible to state; each one believes the
pther guilty and that the apology
ought to come from that side.
A comparison between the two
causes the traveller to smile. In point
of size they are surely antipodes, one
30 large and massive, the other d.
minutive.
The taller man has voice like a tor
nado bowling in the mountains, laying
trees PROSTATE and swirliug up the
valleys Now and then it is punctured
with the sharp, file-raspng cXclama.
lions that burst from his antagonist,
penetrating and shrill as the highest
notes of the violin. They growl and
gable together. each endeavoring to
lay the blamo OF the collision upon the
other. When two men possessed of
fiery tcmpers get into a heated argu-
ment the result is seldom in doubt.
Sooner or later they come to blows.
and this period depends pretty much
upon the state to which their feelings
have carried them.
This promises TO be the case in the
present instance. The little man Is
game despite the enormous difference
In their size. He dances before his
heavy antagonist, holding up his small
tists In way that proclaims him the
possessor of some scientific knowl-
edge in the line of self-defense. Should
the giant, however, bring one OF his
sledgc-hammer blows to bear upon
him these frail barriers must be
brushed inside as though mere cob.
webs.
Although the big man Is angry it
can be seen that he is amused at the
same time. Unless the fury OF the
other passes all bonds and he commits
an assault the tall man will hardly
proceed to extreme measures. just
now he is endeavorng to alarm his an.
tagoniSt by nn exhibition of lung pow.
er-by bawling At him with all the
tremendous force of Il cattle drover
OH the war path. His bull-like voice
and the queer exclamations he uses
would be extremely amusing to Myn'
heer Joe upon another occasion. Just
now something of an important nature
has come into his mind-something
that causes him to take ii new interest
In this strange game that is being
played before him.
This smaller man answers in oil p3H
ticulars the mental photograph he
hns drawn of DcmostheEes Tanner,
tue father of the fair Molly. He is
small, slightly bald. nearly fifty, full
Of life aud ginger, and ready to stand
up for his dignity.
, SO Mynheer Joe decides on the spur
of the moment that he has run across
the man who has chartered the daha-
beah Alice--hc owes him n debt Of
gratitude on account of the rescue
from the waters of the Nile-perhaps
the time has come when he can repay
that with interest.
Thus be finds moro TO engage his at
tcntion in the complication before him
than others who have been gathered
by the hot dispute.
In justice to Mynhccr Joe let 1t be
said that his sense OF fairness and the
eternal fitness OF things had much to
do with his actions. He was never
the man to sit calmly by and see big
dog set upon Il small one. More than
once in his past career he has been
known to take The par1 of the weak
AID oppressed, even 20 his discomfort.
There Is som" spirit left of the age OF
chivalry--it did Lot die out with the
last OF the hclDt"ted, mail clad knights,
Thus it win be seen that other mo-
tivus Influence Mynilrcr Joe besides
the one important fact that this is, as
he suppUScS, M0lly'S father who
stands a fair show Of being pulver-
tied
He means to take a hand in the
game If It shows signs of reaching a
point where blows must be exchanged.
Eordon's messenger is full of fight
he always was and the fact that this
may be considered Il street Drawl does
not once enter into his calculations.
! 1t Is the smaller man who rushcs
things and brings matters to n focus.
"You Shall apologize or fight, sir!
Do you think am to be insulted with
tmDunity2 You are big coward! I
will show you how we do these things
where | came from? Defend your
selC!' he shrieks.
J The big man Is thus forced to an is
rue. He gives n roar as the other
kicks at his sh!ns. and looks as If
about to hurl his avoirdupois upon his
llmnutive antagonist, when hand
clutches his shoulder and Mynheer
Joc steps between them. brushing
back the little bantam cock and facing
the Brahma.
! "If you must fight. take man OF
Eour size. Take me, for instance
Now come on he says quietly.
CHAPTER VI. :.
THE FOOTBALL OF FORTUNE.