Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-12
in after them, he disregarded the fel.

i
| lows scowl, and said:
"Whyf you've got lots of room, old
man! Well pay our way. Now get
some more firewood, will you I'm
| chilled to the bone. That's good fel-
low" His forceful heatiness forbade
dispute, and the man obeyed, sourly.
The two new corners stripped OF
| their outer clothing. and in a trice the
small room became Uttered and hung
with steaming garments. They took
possession of the house, and ordered
the Swede and his squaw about with
firm good nature. until the couple
skunk into an inner room and began to
talk in low tones.
Fraser had been watching the fell
low. and now remarked to his COM
panion:
Say. what ails that ginney?"
The assumption of good nature fell
away from Boyd Emerson as he re-
piled:
II never knew anybody to refuse
shelter to freezing men before. There's
something back of this-he's got some
reason for his refusal. I don't want
any trouble, but"
The inner door opened, and the
Waterman reappeared. Evidently his
sluggish resolution had finally set it.
self.
"You can't stop hart" he said. "Ay
got orders"
Emerson was at the fire, busy rub
bling the cramps from his arms, and
did not answer. When Fraser like
wise ignored the Swede, he repeated
his command, louder this time.
Get out of my house, quick!
Both men kept their backs turned
and continued to ignore him, at which
the fellow advanced heavily, and
threatened them in a big, raucous
voice, trembling with rage
'By Yingo, Ay trow you Quit"
He stopped and gathered up the
garments nearest him, then stepped
toward the outer door; but before he
could make good his threat, Emerson
whirled like cat his deepset eyes
dark with sudden fury. and seized his
host by the nape of the neck. He
jerked him back SO roughly that the
wet clothes tapped to the floor in
four directions, whereat the Scandi-
navian let forth below but Emer-
son struck him heavily on the jaw
with his open hand, then hurled him
backward into the room so violently
that he reeled, and his legs colliding
with a bench, he fell against the wall.
Before he could recover. his assailant
stepped in between his wideflung
hands and throttled him, beating his
head violentlv against the logs. The
fellow undertook to grapple with him.
at which Emerson wrenched himself
free, and, stepping back, spoke in
quivering voice which Fraser had
never heard before:
"Tm just playing with you now-l
don't want to hurt you"
Get out of my house! Ay got
orders!" cried the watchman wildly,
and made for him again. 1t was evil
dent that the man was not lacking IN
stupid courage. but Emerson, driven
to 1t, stepped aside, and swung
heavily. The squaw in the doorway
screamed, and the Swede fell full
length. Again Boyd was upon him,
the restraint of the past long weeks
now unbridled, his temper unchecked.
He dragged his victim through the
store room, grinding his face into the
floor at every effort to rise. He forced
him to his own doorsill, jerked the
door upon, and kicked him out into the
snow; then barred the entrance, and
returned to the warmth of the logs,
his face convulsed and his lips work
ing.
"Fingerless" Fraser gazed at him
queerly, as if at some utterly strange
phenomenon, then drawled, with sly
chuckle:
well, we'll. you're bloody gentle.
I must say. I didn't think 1t was In
you"
When the other vouchsafed no
answer, he took his pipe from pocket
of his steaming mackinaw, and filed
it from tobacco box on the window
sill: then, leaning back in his chair,
he propped his feet up on the table
and highed luxuriously, as he muir
INJURED:
these scenes of violence just up
set me something dreadful"
Continued in Next Issue.)