The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-10-18

it, fair play or foul, - and he made mad
rush at Lawrence which would have swept
him over the undefended edge of the
bridge, had he not been quick us weasel.
Larkins, with another rush, got inside
Lawrence's guard and flung his long arms
around the slim student preacher with
grasp like boa constructor s. The ground
was icy Lawrence was in real peril of
being hurled over the bridge side into the
ravine whose bottom was studded with
stumps and wood cutters debris. Put to
his mettle he got wrestling grip on Lar
kins, and they swayed and struggled on
the narrow bridge, the one trying to get
near the edge, the other to keep in the
centre.
1t was not for nothing than Lawrence
had developed his thews and sinews load
ing saw logs in the lumber camp. With a
mighty effort he lifted his antagonist from
the ground and could easily have flung him
over the bridge into the ravine, but he
merely threw him into the snow drift by the
roadside, and was in turn dragged down.
"Here, Bull here, Tige, aio i'm
Seize i'm Tear i'm r roared Larkins
with lip blistering oaths.
"No, var don't, Tige,' said Phin;
''two to one is agin the rules o the game. :"
Bull snarled and dsnapped, but the clouds
again drifted across the moon and in the
shadow it was impossible to distinguish
which was Lawrence.
With IA tremendous effort Lawrence
wrenched himself free, and Larkins strug-
gled slowly and painfully to his feet.
''Curse him He's bruk my wrist.
The game up for this time
"Sorry | hurt you,'' said Lawrence.
II didn't want to. Let me see if it is
badly injured.
"Pains like thunder said Larkins,
holding up a dangling wrist. "Here, Phin,
yer take holt. ="
"Let the preacher try said Phin, as
Larkins howled with pain. ''He knows
more about these things nor do.
Lawrence, who had often hound up
sprains and bruises in the lumber camp,
took hold of the injured wrist, despite
Larkins' reluctance, and tenderly examined
it, though Larkins WINGED at the touch.
"No bones broken, my good fellow
said Lawrence, "only bad sprain. Let
me make splint,' and he rapidly shaped
two fiat pieces Of wood, and saying, "See,
Phin, how it is done,' carefully bound
them with his own handkerchief on the
sprained wrist. "Isnt that better p he
asked.
''Ain' so ALFRED painful as twuz, -
admitted Larkins.
"Now let me make you sling. Got
another handkerchief, boys?'' But neither
of them possessed such an article; so Phin
took off his braces 'galluses, he called
them--and "took up the slack Of his
trousers" as he termed it, with nail,
while Lawrence made sling to support the
injured wrist.
81 am very, very sorry he said; II
didn't want to hurt you, believe me.
ooh, hang it ALL SAID Larkins, ''served
me right, | guess-ye'r re not such bad
lot arter ALL Will yer shake hands and
call it quits?' and he held out his unin-
jured hand. 81 meant murder, though,
blest if | didn't ''---and this time the
word was not a curse. II couldn't have
done like yer did arter the ways | treated
yer, not by jugful. Will yer fergive
me?'
with all my heart said Lawrence;
and as he shook hands with both the Gro
nies, he added, II bear you no malice at
all. God bless you BOTH
''Here, Bull, here Tige, said the dis
comftted comrades as they lurched along to
the Four Corners, and Lawrence went
light hearted on his way to town. He
had both killed an enemy and made a
friend, adopting the Masters own method,
the true psychology of overcoming evil
with good. Henceforth Larkins and
Crowle were the preachers champions at
the Four Corners.
81 ain no slouch at a wrastle nuther,
Larkins admitted to Phin; "that under
holt Nv his is a corker."