Gilpin observer., 1904-02-11

muscle in his face as he saw his for.
midable adversary coming on, nor did
he join in the murmurs that arose
among his people. Rather there came
a CLINT into his eye, shade of exulta-
ton in his heavy face. big chief!"
he said, simply. Heap fight!"
You bet your blame life he'll heap
fght!" 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!f'
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 bravado
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
fght!" Then he clinched his hands
and thrust them forward. knuckles
downward. the Indian sign for death.
for falling dead or being struck down.
With his delivery this was unmistak-
able. Me" he said. me dead; white
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 b'gad he's doin' it for pure
love Of fight, and hurray for him!"
cried Batterleigh. "Hurray, boysi
Give him a cheer!" And, carried away
for the moment by Batterleigh's own
dare-deviltry, as well as a mans ad-
miration for pluck, they did rise and
give him cheer. They cheered old
White Calf. self-offered champion,
knowing that he had death in a 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
bcdy, hC onOOh Ol -ndQQS
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 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 a 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 a
struggle which for either may end
alone in death. The Indian was mag
nifcent in mien, 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 By
continual exercise. showed like the
torso of a minor Hercules, powerful
but not sluggish in its power. His
broad and deep chest, here and there
spotted with white scars, arched wide
ly for the vital organs, but showed no
clogging fat. His legs were corded
and thin. His arms were also slender
but showing full of easy-playing
muscles with power of rapid and un-
hampered strength. Two or three
inches above the six-feet mark he
stood as he cast Off his war bonnet
and swept back hand over the stand
ing eagle plumes, whipped fast to his
braided hair. White Calf was him.
self giant.
Ito be continued.)