West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-01-30

creak Ut MS pack, 100 snght TO alarm
and just sufficient to break his tension
and cause him TO jerk his head about.
Framed In the open door stood Roy
Glenister watching him.
McNamara's establishment was so
genuine that he leapsd TO his feet.
faced about, and prompted by score
i've Instinct swung to the safe door as
though to guard its contents. lie had
acted upon the impulse before reallz.
Ing that his weapon was inside and
that now, although the door was not
locked, IL would require that one dan
gerous, yes, fatal second 10 open IL.
The two men stared at each other
for n time, silent and malignant. their
glances meeting like blades: In the old
err mans face look OF defiance. In the
younger's logged and grim purposed
enmity. McNamara's first perturba-
ton left him calm, alert. dangerous,
whereas the continued contemplation
or his enemy worked In ,Glenlster 10
destroy his composure, and his purpose
blazcd forth unhldden.
He stood there unkcmpt and solled,
the clean sweep OF jaw and throat
overgrown with three days black
bubble. his hair wet and matted. his
whole left side foul with clay where
he had fallen in the darkness. A mud
dy red streak spread downward from n
cut above his temple, beneath his eyes
were sagglng folds, while the flicker ut
his mouth corners betrayed the high
nervous pitch to which he was keyed.
81 have come for the last act, Nc
Namara. Now wen have IL out man
to man"
The politician shrugged his shoulders.
You have the drop on me. am I'M
armed" At which the miners face
lighted fiercely, and he chuckled.
"Ah, that's almost too good to be
true. j have dreamed about such
thing, and have been hungry to feel
your throat since the first time 1 saw
you. It's grown on me till shooting
wouldn't satisfy me. Ever had the
feeling? Well, I'm going to choke the
life out OF you with my bare hands"
Mcnamara squared himself.
II wouldn't advise you to try It, I
have lived longer than you. and was
never beaten, but know the feeling
you speak about. l have 1t now"
His eyes roved rapidly up and down
the others form, noting the lean thighs
and close drawn belt, which lent the
appearance of sparseness, belied only
by the neck and shoulders. He had
beaten better men, and he reasoned
that III it came TO n physical test ln
these cramped quarters his own great
weight would more than Offset any SUI
perior agility the miner might possess.
The longer he looked the more he
yielded TO his hatred OF the man before
him and the more cruelty he longed to
satisfy It.
Take or your coat" said Glenister
"Now turn around. All right! / just
wanted TO see IL you were lying about
your gun"
'1'I kill you'll" cried Mcnamara.
Glenister laid his six shooter upon the
safe and slipped off his own wet gar
ment. The difference was more mark.
ed now and the advantage more
strongly with the receiver Though
they had avoided allusion to II. each
knew that this fight had nothing to
do with the Midas and each realized
whence sprang their fierce enmity.
And IL was meet that they should
come torether thus. IL had been Che
one certain and logical event which
they had felt inevitably approaching
from long back. And II was fitting,
moreover. that they should fight alone
and unwitnessed, armed only with the
weapons OF the Wilderness for they
were both OF the far. free lands. were
both Of the fighters type and had
both warred for the first great prize.
They met ferOciously. Mcnamara
aimed fearful blow. but Glenister
met him squarely. beating him off
cleverly, stepping In and out his
arms swinging loosely from his shout
ders like whalebone withes tipped with
lead. He moved lightly, his footing
made doubly secure by reason OF his
SOFT soled mukluks. Recognizing his
opponents greater weight, lie under
took merely to stop the headlong
rushes and remain out of reach as
long as possible. lie struck the poll
tician fairly In the mouth so that the
mans head snapped back and his fists
went wild, then. before the arms
could grasp him, the miner had brok-
en- ground and whipped another blow
across. but Mcnamara was boxer
himself. so covered and blocked Il.
The politician spat through his mash
ed lips and rushed again, sweeping
his opponent from his feet Again
Glenister's fst shot forward like n
lump OF granite, but the other came on
head down and the blow finished too
high. landing on the big mans brow.
\ sudden darting agony paralyzed
Roy's hand, and he realized that he
had broken the metacarpal bones and
that henceforth II would be useless.
Before lie could recover Mcnamara
had passed under his extended arm
and seized him by the middle. then,
thrusting his left leg back Of Roy's.
he whirled him from his balance. fling.
Ing him clear and with rezistless force.
IL seemed that n fatal fall must fol
low, but the youth squlrned catllke
IN the air. landing with set muscles
which reboundcd like rubber. Even
so. the receiver was upon him before
he could rise, reaching for the young
mans throat with his heavy hands
Roy recognized the fatal strange"
hold and. selling biz enemy's wrists.
endeavOred to tear them apart. but
his left hand was useless. so with a
mighty wrench he freed himself. and
locked In each others arms. the men
strained and swaycd about the ONCE
till their neck veins were bursting.
their muscles paralyzed
Men may fight duols calmly. may
shoot or parry or thrust with cold de-
liberation, but when there comes tho
jar of body 90 body. the swcaty con
tact Of skin TO skin. the play Of iron
muscles, the painful gasp Of exhaus.
tiOu--then the mind goes Suffering
s.aot- fr.s1 10. III. ... go