Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1906-02-23

Q musssS In HIS face az he saw IN ~.
naaable adversary coming ON, nor aid
ne Join In the murmurs that ayueo
among his people. Rather there cane
CLINT into his eye, shade OF exulta-
ton In his heavy face. big chiefln
ne said. simply. Heap fight!"
You bet your blame life he'll bean
nght!" said Curly, from his position
upon Juan's brawny breast as he held
him down. Hes good for any two of
you. you screechip' cowards!"
The Indian chief stood silent for n
| moment, his arms folded across his
breast with that dramatic instinct
never absent from the Indians mInd.
when he spoke, the scorn and brayado
In MS voice were apparent, and his
words were understood though his
| speech was broken.
Big chiefi" he said, pointing to
ward Juan. White Calf. me biz
CHIEF" pointing to himself. He,
nght!" Then he clinched his hands
and thract them forward, knuckles
downward. the Indian sign for Hss1A,
Tor falling dead or being struck down.
With his delivery this was unmistak.
able. Me" he said, me dead: white
man 60. Big chief (meaning Juan).
him dead; Injun hear. take horse. !" IN.
GLIDING In the sweep Of his gesture Ali
the outfit of the white men.
| He wants to fight Juan by hin.
SELF" cried Franklin.
Yes, and b'gad he's doin' it for pure
love OF fight, and Murray for him!"
cried Batterleigh. Murray. bows.
Give him cheer!" And, carried away
Tor the moment by Batterleigh's own
dare-deviltry, as well as a mans ad-
miration for pluck, they did rise and
give him a cheer. They. cheered OLD
White Calf, self-offered champion.
knowing that he had death in q 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 hs
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 gian,
BODY, he shook off restraining hands
and sprang forward. He stripped Oh
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 primeyal man, club which should
extend the sweep of his own arm.
From the hand of the nearest Indian
he snatched 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 q heavy rawhide
| covering, shrunk into q steeI-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.
nificent 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 of his war bonnet
and swept back a hand over the stand
Ing eagle plumes, whipped fast to his
braided hair. White Calf was him.
self giant.
| (Ta ha