The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1914-10-02
The Life of a Willful Boy
Who Set Upon Himself the
Responsibility Of Avenging
His Fathers Murder : :

"a w SlAoAS ANAIA ~ NANAS gu
had screamed piercingly and tried to
run in upon the two men. but Hedrick
i%nterposed. holding her off firmly. "No,
no." he cried. You an me can't do
nothin' now 'cept wait fer Their end
an keep out er Their way he added.
dragging her to II side and placing
himself in front Of her as for Il mo-
ment Ryerson's pistol wavered in their
direction.
Thus in their helplessness they stood
and watched perforce. themselves the
only spectators of the conflict; it's set
ting the steep mountain road. the wet
wind tossed forest and the gray and
sullen skies OF the morning. and V e
all the stiffness Of the woods.
Except for the deep catching Of his
breath, David fought in a silent, word
less intensity. and in spite Of his ex-
element. it flashed back upon the
s%torekeeper that that was the way he
had once in his youth seen Anderson
Cree fight. Iyerson. on the other hand.
spent his breath in gasped oaths and
hOarSe calculations. Once David had
him almost overthrown, pressing him
back and back against the bank. and
he could have laughed Savagely, bru-
tally-for in the %prolonging of the con
bat his self control was beginning to
slip-at the white panic of terror that
looked out of the others face and
bloodshot eyes. But with one Of his
quick. wrenching turns Ryerson sprang
away, and for a moment he was free.
Oh you." he cried. I'll kill yer like
l done .Alderson!" With the words he
fired, and David felt a sting like a hot
flame Craze his forehead. and after
ward a crimson curtain Of blood drip
ped into one eye and ran down his
face. and the red taste of it was in his
mouth. and David was glad, %riotous1y,
furiOuSly glad of it, for RyersOn's
words and the pinch Of pain had loosed
the bonds Of his restraint. and he for
gOt-he forgot his promise. he forgot
his love, he forgot everything save only
the. mad passion Of conflict and the
sick desire to destroy the man he hat
ed. And the taste Of blood, the sticky
warm trickle Of it. We're what he
wanted, and We're all an answer to his
fury. wrapping him in a scarlet loud
of passion, in the midst Of which only
the face of his enemy hu'g clear. For
the fiend that slept in David Cree was
loose now. and V e with his own mad
devil of fright to back him, Kip Ryer-
son stood small chance. Even as the
pistol shot deafened his ears David
sprang once MORE, and his viselike
grip snapped upon the other. One
great hand was upon Ryerson's throat,
and one upon his outstretched arm,
and David bent him slowly, slowly
back. Ryerson's free hand tore at the
s%trangling fingers. but he might as well
have tugsed at iron rods-and again he
went back a little further. The epit-
ome Of fear stared out Of his bullying
eyes and livid face, and his lips were
blue and %frothing.
Yet now the mel were almost move
less. for it was only by slow inches
that Iiyerson went back. There was
no heaving struggle. only the tense
meeting of muscle upon muscle, the
coughing Of Ityerson's breath, the
heave of David's, and the slow, very
slow, going back of one Of them. Da-
vid's grip was like the steady clinch Of
great jaws swapping tighter and tight
err upon a bone, and presently. inevi-
tably. suddenly. the bone would snap.
Great God" the s]torekeeper cried
under his breath and made a half
movement to run forward. Yet in the
end he checked himself and stood still
watching in IL stunned breathlessnesS
, and again ltyersOn went back Il faint
inch. His breath was il choking cough
:. now. and David's eyes had the wicked
} set look that il dogs have just before
the bone cracks. Then all at once
with Il harsh scrnpe the wet grave
2 slipped under his feet and Ryerson
, went down backward upon the ground
and as he fell David's hand flew along
: his arm and tore the pistol from his
, relaxing grasp,
l From then to the end was scarcely q
bare wink Of time. yet the emotions
and actions that flashed by upon Ont
l another's heels packed it to such over
flowing that afterward it seemed like
r a long dream.
e David stepped back Il pace or two
steadying himself and cooking the pis.
toll nOiseleSsly.
sect up" he said quietly, terribly.
And dizzily and still half stunned
Ryerson obeyed mechanically. Ye
when he stood up in the road and faced
the gaping mouth of the pistol and tn,
white blaze Of the face back of it, !t
flung his arms up before his own eye.
t with open %clutching fingers. AM
e screamed Il hoarse, Il horrible scream
t Of fear that e away on the still ali
Of the morning all up and down tn,
t mountain side, and flung its anguish O
e terror into remote hOllOwS.
D stand still".' said David.
And. save for "a long shiver that wen
over him from head to foot, held in til,
very paralysis Of terror, his fac,
= shrinking blindly away in his arms