Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-29
E THE WHIPPING !. 1 OF NED
lCopyrIght, by Joseph B. Bowles.)
sy PHILIP MRaill mleifls.
3vl,'.ssv vl,a>ss-s) )lr-ss-vlr

NOPyfignt oy Josopn D. b0Wies.l
 "So you're going up to Garnet Peak to lick your brother?" said the own
 CT of Paradise hotel. speaking to .
 great fellow who had just arrived.
 Excuse the question, Wally. but ain't
 this the second time you've come back
 to do the whipping of Ned?" Third time. Zach." corrected the
 traveller. "He has licked me twice since started to grow. He used to
 lick me regular every time we fought.
 Darn him! always said I'd be com
 ing back some day to lick him good
 for all the thumpings he has given
 me, and 1 reckon I'm big enough now
 to do the racket up to the handle.
 When does the stage start for Garnet l Peak?"
 "1n 15 minutes" said Zach. Over the sagebrush ridges and down through the barren canyons the stage went winding monotonously. The
 road was narrow. the scenery grey and
 dull Wallace Rocklin rode on the box with the driver till he felt himself
 growing drowsy. As the sun disap- peared he climbed down, propped him. self in corner of the coach, and went to sleep.
 As the horses plodded sturdily around the last of the curves, before the level of the summit should be won, deep voice broke the stiffness:
 Stop. Throw up your hands!"
 With sudden jolt that heaved RoclIlin forward in his seat, the coach ceased to grind the sand.
 Now, toss down the company's ex. press," ordered the voice, "and don't you tackle no fooling. Do you hear?' The masked figure came nearer, with his weapon held in readiness for use. The treasure box came into sight without delay, and then crashed down in the brush. At that instant form shot from the coach and hurled itself recklessly against the robber and his gun, dashing the weapon to the rocks, where it struck and exploded a bar. rel. The report rent the air. and the horses, plunging in fright, made a dash for the summit and disappeared with the stage.
 Wrapped in savage embrace, the two men battled in the throes of dead ly combat. Clutching and heaving, they scufled across the road, with arms tense with effort. their legs as rigid as pillars of steel.
 The robbers fingers dug in the shoulder of his foe, while the wrist and arm worked underneath the chin. He suddenly gave Rocklin's head backward jolt that nearly broke his neck.
 Pushing the robber sharply to the rear against the hill. Rocklin heaved him of his feet and crashed him heavily down oh rock.
 A crunching of ribs and growl of rage and pain aroused an added fury in the robber. In a spasm of move ments he dragged his foe to the earth on his breast, and over and over they rolled. Sure of his victory now, and terrible in his calm, Rocklin dragged his antagonists arm across and un- der the latter's back; and he heard the snap when the bone was cracked in the shoulder.
 Again the below of rage burst forth. The hand that was free dug piece of granite from the sand and thumped 1t on Rocklin's ear. The lat ter trembled. By the greatest effort he kept his senses from reeling; he fastened his clutch on the robbers throat with wavering strength. The robber rolled him suddenly over. They were poised for an instant on a rocky ledge. and then. kicking loose. the man in the mask gave the other a thrust that toppled him over the plunge. Down he rolled on a bar ren declivity and disappeared in an avalanche of earth and rocks.
 When his eyes slowly opened Rock lin found the sun shining in his face. He lay on the earth blinking. grimly painted with patches of blood
 It was late afternoon when at last he came to the ranch of a German In the canyon.
 For more than a week. as a conva- lescent. Rocklin limped about in the sunshine of Springmeyer's place.
 I've got to go to Garnet Peak" he |announced every day; and at last. with many a clap on the back. he went.
 The climb was steep. the afternoon sultry. He found himself willing to ! sit on the boulders often to gather his strength. q don't know whether | can lick him now or not" he nut tered: "but reckon he wouldn't make me fight 1t out tonight"
 He made his way about the ridge. It was now less than a mile to Car net Peak. and the slope was pierced | here and there by the tunnels of the i miners. The sun had gone down when he approached one of the claims. and glanced about at old familiar fea- lures. When he came to the mine he stood on the dump, oddly saddened. Tho mine had caved.
 Beneath a mass of hurled-in rock barrow was crushed. The door-tim- Der jutted through the debris Ike a steeple. Poor old Ned" he muttered; down on his luck, the same as ever" He turned away. walking the we'll beaten trail toward the camp.
 He knocked presently on the door of a cabin. There was no reply. Re spending to his pressure. the door swung open on the darkness of the