The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-12-29

ly, but not unequally, matched, foi
while the doctor was short, thi sk-set
and muscular, but clumsy and awk-
ward like a bear, David was tall and
slim, but 1.-THE and sinewy as a pam
ther. Locked in each others arms.
they seemed like single hideous mon
ster In some sort of convulsion. AS II
was impossible for them in this dead
ly embrace to strike, they wrestled
rather than fought, and lit with teeth
and tore with hands with equal feroc-
ity.
At the instant when the two infuri-
ated men seized each other in this
deadly grip, Pepeeta tainted, while the
terrified mare backed the buggy into
the bushes by the roadside. Romeo.
snorting and paving the ground.
snuffed at them a moment as is pro-
foundly concerned at their strange
maneuvers. then turning away, began
to crop the rich blue grass in entire
indifference to the results Of this mad
quarrel between two foolish men.
The combatants surged and swayed
back and forth along the dusty road.
tripping and stumbling in vain efforts
to throw each other to the ground.
Their danger lent them strength, and
their hatred skill. At last, after pro-
tracted efforts, they fell and rolled
over and over, now one on top, now the
other Suddenly and as II by single
impulse changing their tactics, their
right hands unclasped and began to
| feel for the others throat. A sudden
slip of Davids hold permitted the doc
| for him oxrylfn
across his breast he pinioned him to
the earth. His great hand stole to-
ward the throat of his PROSTATE foe
and fastened upon 1t with the grip of
an iron wise.
The beautiful face turned pale, then
grew purple. This would have been
the last moment In the life Of the Qua
ker had not his right hand, convulsive-
ly clawing the road, touched piece Of
! broken rock. 1t was as If Line
had swung up against the hand of
| drowning man. The exhausted youth
untwisted the grip of the iron hand,
flung off the heavy body, mounted up
on It, crowded the great head with its
matted hair and staring eyes down in
to the dust, seized the stone with his
right hand, raised it. and struck.
The effect of the blow was two-fold
| -paralyzing the brain of the smitten
and the arm of the smiter. Across the
low forehead of the quack 1t left a
great gaping wound like a bloody
mouth. A death-like pallor spread it
self over his countenance, the lids
dropped back and left the eyes staring
hideously up into the face above them.
| naVfd'c orli lxr a1
for second blow, was suspended in
air. He did not move for long time;
and when at length his scattered
senses began to return he threw down
the stone, rose to his feet and exclaim-
ed in accents of terror, Il have killed
him."
He could not overcome the fascina-
tion of. the lifeless face and wide-star-
ing eyes They drew him towards
them; he stopped down and felt for the
pulse, which was imperceptible; laid
his hand upon the heart, but could not
feel it beat; he raised an arm, and 1t
fell back limp and lifeless.
Suddenly one elemental passion gave
place to another. Horror had displaced
anger, and now In its turn gave way
to the instinct of self preservation. He
looked toward the carriage and saw
that Pepeeta had fallen into a swoon.
Perhaps she has not seen what has
happened" he said to himself and a
cunning smile lit up his pale face.
STOPPING down, he seized the loatll-
some object lying there in the dust of
the road and dragged 1t off into the
thick shrubery Stumbling along, he
came to hollow made by the roots
of an upturned tree. Into this he
flung the thing, hastily covered It with
moss and leaves, and stood staring
stupidity at the rude sepulchre. He ex-
perienced a momentary feeling of re-
lief that the hideous object was out
of sight; but the consciousness of his
guilt and his danger soon surged back
upon him like flood. In such mo-
ments the mind works wildly, like a
clock with a broken spring, but some
times with an astonishing accuracy
and wisdom.