The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-11

could?" The boy fairly trembled with
eagerness and excitement as he spoke.
Il know it, if you will only try. DO
you want me to train you?"
And so the coming king of the ieath-
er trade became a coach and tutor to
young gladiator whose enemy had
left him no choice but to fight: and
thus was he placed, after more than
two weeks of hard training, when he
learned from the sister of his protege
that he was likely to fall into utter
disgrace with her and lose that which
he had begun to see he must have II
he was to enjoy happiness in this life.
And so they went for a week after
that enlightening conversation under
the big elm; week of uncertainty and
fear that momently strengthened his
wOrshipful admiration of her, regard
less of any pecu1iarities of her code;
a week that brought her brother to a
trim that left the issue of a battle in
no considerable doubt, should battle
chance to occur. Then one day, going
out to the group of big pines back of
the house to enjoy, as Of old, the chat
and jokes of the noon rest with the
men of the place. he was just in time,
as he came around the corner of the
house, to see Bub Lutes make a bear
like slap at David Kemble, and in the
next instant to see little David, who
looked about half Bulbs size, swiftly
rotate upon his left foot, as a weather
gage faces to the shift of the wind,
and land a hard little fist fairly on
Bulbs left ear with a smack that re-
sounded like the clap of open palms,
and a sturdiness of force that sent the
bully tumbling in a heap. Even Stan
nard was astonished at the swiftness
and sureness of David's blow, but then
he had not seen David in action under
provocation.
Pears to be some o. Bulbs cussed-
ness explained Sam Spence. Il take
notice he's alluz teazin' him. Jes' now
he berries David's new knife, an Da-
vid gives it to IN like a gentleman, and
Bub slips it into his. pocket an says
he guesses it'll be his knife now, an
when David asts i'm fer it he up an
takes a slap at i'm. I'm logged glad
David give it to i'm. But wasn't that
a dandy belt on the jaw, thought
1t was the sorrow of Sans life for
days afterward that he lacked a regu-
lar and complete report of that battle
by rounds, for it gave him almost end
less matter for further and full admit
ration, and ali that he was able to
make out of it was a wild failing of
the air and a series of mad rushes, by
Bub; all of which came to nothing,
for neither blows nor rushes were able
to reach beyond the guard of the small
er boy, and after those rushes A lulI of
fighting on Bulbs part that brought
him no comfort that Sam could see,
beyond sundry hard punches here and
there; and after that when he was so
breathless that he was helpless, a
Whirlwind finish that left him with his
face in the dust, crying with hoarse,
crOaking sobs, a completely conquered
and hUmbled bully, too utterly abasej
to make any effort to rise.
And the next instant, before Stan
nard had time to congratulate his pupil
on his achievement, the hand of fate
descended on both of them. He heard
her call her brothers name, and, look
ing up, he saw her standing at the
corner of the house, strange, half
frightened look on her face looking
directly upon him and the battlefield.
How long she had been there and how
much she had seen, he could not say
he only knew that a quick gush of
tears came TO her eyes as she caught
her brothers hand, and that the next
moment they had vanished together. 1t
was little that he saw, but it was
enough.
First he thought of going directly to
her and having it out, like a. man;
then he thought of interviewing David
and getting the lay of the land from
him by way of reconnaissance, then of
writing her a note, since ii was not
likely that she would see him, and
then of the possibilities of their meet
ing in a chance encounter-at table,
for example. 1t ended III the doing of
none of these only in a disconsOlate
ramble away to the woods where he
used to rove when he was a boy.
He came back late. Supper was over,
and the men were all away from the
house. Mrs. Skaggs, along with her
fears that everything was cold and
nothing fit to eat, handed him a small
folded note, boyishly scrawled with his
name. With varied misgivings he
opened it and read:
Dear Mister Stanerd Nellie got a
letter and so She cant waite to see you
but We hope you Come to our hous
and cal soon. She cride about Me but
she isent mad. l got my nife alright
She was awhile sorry for bub and she
Said you Was a nobel man. We boath
want to Come and see us at Our home
soon. / must go Now goodbye David
Il toled her How you framed me and
she Rugged me-"
81 don't know thing about it." said
Mrs. Skaggs, fluttering about him dis
tractedly, only that Jim Linsley, that
drives the stage, he come bringin' her
what he called a message. Twas in a
kind O small yeller envelope, and it
seemed to throw ne- into a terrible
flutter. He waited half an hour fer
her, and she got herself an her