Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1912-09-05
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Il thought" | began, but his next
utterance drowned my words.
AZ say / don't keep It," he reiter-
ated, in louder tones. isn't that
plain?"
oh, quite. You have neither gaso-
lene nor good manners"
l saw him rise, a massive tower,
dwarfing his surroundings. and take
a step forward to the edge of his
porch.
This is my house and my CASTLE"
he flung at mo, savagely, "and I won't
stand for trespassers. If you two
don't want to be flung off my proper
ty, 1t would be advisable for you to
make haste in going"
My laugh was not calculated to
| salye his i'll humor, yet I think he
must have gathered from it that 1 was
not to be terrorized by either his
size or his threats.
Your names Murphy, I think"
ventured. calmly, not moving an inch.
But he made no response.
Mine is Clyde" l went on; AZ am
one of the state game wardens."
I'm not interested in who you
are" he growled.
But I'm interested in learning
what your Chinaman was shooting
this morning, over on the Cameron
place"
Then find out" was his courteous
retort. I'm sure I shan't tell you"
Maybe the Chinaman will be moro
obliging," l suggested, and turning to
Jerry, who had stood in silence, all
the while, a few steps behind me,
said: Look around at the back, my
lad, and if you can find Mr. Muphy's
man fetch him here"
But before l had quite finished, tho
big man in the shadow of the veran-
dab was storming:
He'll stop just where he is. II he
dares to come another step nearer
this house, I'll throw the pair of you
over the hedge, neck and crop. Do
you hear me?"
And If you dare to interfere with
an officer or his deputy in the dis
charge Of his duty, the authorities
will settle with you. was my calm re-
joinder. "Trot ahead, Jerry! His
bark's worse than his bite
Jerry, quick to obey, disappeared
on the instant around the corner Of
the bungalow, and Murphy, after
pretended dash forward, halted on
the lower porch step.
See here!' he demanded, cum
brously What's all this, anyhow?
You come here after gasolene, os-
tensibly, and then declare you're
game wardens after a law-deeying.
Chinese poacher."
At last I saw him halfway amen.
able to reason. Now that he was out
Of the shadow, l saw too, more clear
~, what manner of man he was. His
head, as had already discerned it
through the gloom, was abnormally
large, yet not out Of proportion with
his herculean torso. His red hair.
frowsy, unkempt, was of such abund.
ance that, in the dark, its outline had
given me a srotesquely magnifed i'm,
preston. His red beard, too, was
thick, long, and untrimmed. What lit
tie of his face showed, was sunburned
TO what. in the dim light, seemed the
color Of ripe russell apples. His eyes
were nearly indiscernible. deep set,
under bushy red brows
"If you had shown the least bit of
humanity to brother men in Distress"
/ responded. in a half jocular vein,
I'D probably never thought of this
being your place, and you being you.
and the incident OF the morning
might have been forgotten"
I thought l heard his teeth grit to-
sether in hts effort to suppress a ris,
ing rage. certainly saw his hands
clench; and then, with an assumption
Of Indifference, he took final puff
at his cigar and tossed it, sparkling.
among The weeds Of his lawn
It was evident to me, now, that in
spite Of the nonchalance he affected,
my reference to the Chinaman's
poaching, and his presence at Crag-
holt, had aroused his interest. and so
hoping to draw him out. I continued:
"YOur man told the lodge.keeper