Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-03-15

round, every Time ne WOFeu W Soe 1u
of you.
These men wouldn't send a child as
helpless as one Of their own sisters
with you, If they knew you. You play
the grandee before them. And in the
west we always have backed a man up
in taking his own when his rights were
denied. But the only right you have
in this community is to be dipped In
the Sangamon!"
Lincoln, who had seen knife thrown
at Antywine's head for fewer words,
kept his eye guarding the indistinct
movements of the Spaniard. An un-
easy tremor ran around what had been
dead wall of antagOnism. But un-
fortunately Mahala Cameron's father
now lifted his voice from the back
ground, and in the character of min
lister exhorted Redmond Clary to draw
his followers homeward and cease
abetting the ungodly. Redmond Clary
turned on him and told him to go home
himself, or he might be neatly laid be-
side his daddy in the Concord burying-
ground.
One word had swiftly followed
another while Lincoln gauged the force
drawn around him. His hair was
rumpled over the arch of his head.
His strong nose and clean-cut neck and
the outward curving of his lips showed
by fftful light above his shorter COM
panions. Some radiation from his
personality made one of the men ex-
claim:
"Abe, we know you're honest. But
if you're too stubborn to hand over
that money we've got a barrel at the
mill all ready to roll you into the
river"
"Wait!" said Lincoln, stretching out
a long fore finger.
Pedro Lorimer hissed at him: IT
do not wait while boys practice
speeches! could myself in return call
my enemies names. This is not what
was promised me-" s.
What Red Clary promised you"
stated Lincoln with intuition which
amounted to knowledge, was If you
would cancel his gambling debts he
would make me hand over the little
Spaniard's money"
Redmond Clary flung himself of
his horse and ran at his accuser. The
time for words was past. If the figure
towering above them all had stood
with less assurance, the raging leader
might have led his mob to cruel
murder. But Lincoln's humorous eye
spread contagion of smiles as he
caught the bull-bodied champion of the
Grove by the collar and flung that mus
cular bulk across the ring to cool.
There was to be fight. The men
drew deep inhalations of enjoyment.
For ever since Abraham Lincoln ap-
peared in New Salem they had wanted
to see him matched with Red Clary.
Lincoln knew he was about to succeed
or fail with the only argument which
could move those to whom might was
right. Eloquent and convincing words
had to be backed by a man who could
master his listeners. He was tired and
supperless. The Spanish girl leaned
down on her 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 lay in unknown
and terrible places. That Antywine
was missing seemed a token that the
worst must be in store for her. She
was in the grip of an evil force.
Both men threw off their round
abouts and vests. Lincoln faced his
two companions, making them a 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.
you were cut out for a banker,
Sticky" said Lincoln. II wasn't. I
might burst the snakeskin and spill
the money"
His opponent rushed at him like
mastiff 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 she
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 some
cruel advantage of a clean wrestler, un-
used to sledge-hammer brutality. Then
hush penetrated even the horsehair,
and Peggy looked as Lincoln knocked
Red Clary fiat beneath the chin of a
startled animal. He fell against it's
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 drst case which Yates
and he had associated themselves to
win.
"a boy" he painted, els like white
dress: soil him, and he can be washed
D,,%o u Il 40