The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-11-07
An
Encounter

the young mans left eye and vari !
GUS cuts and bruises were sprinkled |
impartially over the rest OF his coun- |
tenance. He walked as IL his knees |
were stiff and he occasionally rubbed |
the back OF his neck as II II hurt |
him.
It'll bet" said his friend, after care |
fully studying him. since you are six
feet three, that the other fellow got
the worst OF I'll"
He was over six feet. too" said
the battered young man. you might
call II a draw unless you were particu-
lar about fine points. Anyhow, he
looks worse than do l."
Seems TO me that for a man OF
peaceful instincts you've managed TO
do pretty WELL" said his friend. II
didn't think you lost your temper 90
easily. Still. In this hot weather
there's no telling. What did you have
against him, How did he irritate
your"
1T was howlingly funny" explained
the battered young man. AT the time.
II anyone had inquired. l might not
have been OF the same opinion, but
time alters all things. you know. and
the encounter was three days ago.
His name was Timson and he came
from Oshkosh. But In spite Of those
drawbacks he was all right--college
man and all that I couldn't hate him
even though he did cast eyes toward
Betty Haswich. who Is the prettiest OF
the Haswich girls. and whom rather
like myself.
we weer down at Mrs. Haswich's
cottage for the week end and Timson
and were given room together. II
was a large room, with windows
opening out on a balcony overlooking
the lake and when you went In you
sAiffed lavender.
"Timson had the luck to be the
man osr the spot when Betty Has
their heads TO so for a moonlight au.
tomoblle ride. They said they were
going TO drop In on some friends ten
miles away and / knew what that
meant-back not before midnight.
Well, / talked with Betty's older sister
and played a rubber OF bridge and
then went upstairs. wasn't sleepy,
for II was only ten o'clock. but there
didn't seem much to do. Funny, isn't
II, how some persons always seem 10
keep things going and to make things
interesting? That's why / like Betty.
The moon was shining, and II was
hot, so | went out on the balcony for
a smoke You Know how dark II is In
the country even with a husky young
moon working? Well, the grounds
were full OF shadows and everything
was still and mysterious. After
awhile | began TO grow drowsy from
the effects OF the moon and the quiet
and the shadows, so got 10 my feet
and put one foot over the low sill
OF the window into the dark room.
Then stopped. for, Just coming
stealthily through the door. was a
man.
He, 700. stopped as my figure
doomed up In the window We might
have been carved out OF granite for
a minute. could hear him breathe
the deep breaths OF a man who had
been surprised. My heart thumped
a little, too, for Il isn't pleasant to run
on a burglar He hadn't made q
sound coming upstairs or at the door
He evidently was an expert.
Il think we jumped at each other
simultaneously At the FIRST grip
knew I had a fight on my hands that
was going TO be something good.
set my teeth and he gritted his
and we went at II hammer and
| tongs without a word Of preliminaries
| found needed all my breath for
active service without wasting any or
pink tea conversation
HE smashed my eye. and cracked
his Jaw as we rolled over against
the table and upset Il. We fought al
across and around that room with nc
regard for the furniture. or course
the noise was fierce and there were
shrieks from all parts OF the house
Presently. Just az he was stranglinS
me and was yanking his hair out b,
the roots, everybody burst in upot
us with lights and some OF the mer
pulled Us apart.
Il wish you could have seen tha
room. window curtains down. one
chair smashed. the writing material'
on the table scattered. the bed cover
let torn In two. the hardwood foo
scraped and the rugs In hard knots
In the middle OF the wreck and ruiz
were Timson and I. battered. bleedins
torn TO pieces as to clothes. gaspini
like Ash and trying to get at eacl
other like two bulldogs!
"oh, Il was very simple. The auto
mobile had broken down. as usual. tw'
miles from home, and the party ha'
come in by the road at the back
Finding the house In darkness the
had come upstairs quietly. Their ide'
was not 10 disturb us. That Is wha
Timson kept repeating patheticaiiyv
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