The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-11-25
The Fight in the Timber.
CHAPTER x.

in the hills. Therefore he got into his
clothes In double-quick time, swung up
to the cook-shack, washed IN the porch
and presented himself with apologies
to Ma Daily
SiIetz came IN in the dusk of the
long room and set the cup beside MIN,
quiet, soft-footed, slim and straight
in ner plain garments. she seemed
made for service. the unquestioning
service OF woman, as she waited uDor
his needs after the fashion of the prim-
tive mate OF man. She placed last
touch nero and there smiled at MIN
and crossing to the west door. snapped
her fingers to the big mongrel and
stepped out.
Sandry, ms hand unconsciously
poised with raised spoon. watched her
He saw her hasten as she neared the
edge OF the Level, and finally, as if she
could no longer hold herself to the
decorum of ner pace, break into fight,
running IKE deer up among the pines
with long bounding leaps. As she dis
appeared he dropped his hand and be-
came aware of Ma Daily in the door
to the kitchen. She, too, was watching
her.
Mrs. Daily" he said suddenly, what
is S1etz?"
The old lady turned on him quickly
the piercing glance OF her sharp eyes.
Just a GIRL" she said succinctly.
She turned to her realm and Sandry
rose and went out in the mist. He
climbed steadily with something Of
the Iogger's movement. This much he
mad learned along with thousand
other things of the free life, and yet
he was a novice-Johnny Eastern
still.
He was thinking deeply as he
climbed, lost in the majestic silence Of
the nushed pines with the stilling car
pet of needles at their feet, and it was
some time after the first sounds from
ahead had come to him dimly that he
Weakened to the loud voices of men in
quarrel AS he broke through the wall
OF dripping waist-high fern he came
full upon sight that stirred his blood,
and fired his wrath, in spite of his eff
fort to keep calm. There in the new
cutting stood Hampden, his face red
with fury, his eyes swapping, his dou-
bled fists shaking at Daily who front
ed him. Behind the two the men were
grouped in menacing punches. They
were huge fellows, every one of them,
as if they had been picked purposely,
bare-armed, open-throated, wet with
the constantly falling, soft mist.
Those OF Hampden were armed with
pixies and peavies to man-and these
ARE deadly weapons. Daily's crew car
,ried axes and several had cant
hooks.
Il told your Johnny Eastern to stay
of this here land," cried the owner
of the Yellow Pines, his voice running
up on the last word in a squeak of
rage, IAN III see t he does! An you
an your river hogs that you pass as
loggers. Rotten outfit, We are, You'll
to me by right of good money paid
an you tore down O'Connels home
steader's cabin! That's ag'in the law"
He thrust out his heavy face belliger-
emily. inviting insult, first movement
of violence. 1t came, not from Daily,
the easy-going, tactful foreman. who
had righted many topping crises, but
from Jim Anworthy, the curly-headed
young scapegrace who was the worri-
ment and favorite of Ma Daily. He
flung himself forward with a whoop.
Rotten are we, Live clean to tn
hearth.
And with lightning pass he slapped !
Hampden square in the face, leaping |
backward like a cat. In a flash the |
two groups of men had mingled and |
the silent woods rang with conflict |
that was delight to every heart in |
the mixup, with the exception, perhaps |
of Hampden. who was too small and |
mean of nature to love anything for /
its own sake.
Sandry on the outskirts beheld it |
with CONSERVATION.
Daily" he cried at the top of his |
voice. stop it! Call them of. John
Daily,"
But he caught glimpse of his fore
mans face and it was alight with roll
licking laugh and his great hands,
doubled into slugs, were pounding into
the melee like pistons. Here and
there a face ran blood and one blue
shoulder, showing up for a minute,
gaped like open lips. 1t had been
ripped to the bone by a pike point, and
it belonged to Collins, the lnsolent
giant. Suddenly Sandry felt himself
helpless and small. reed before a
flood, and he was filed with wonder
at the force of these untamed dwell.
ers OF the wilderness. He had seen
men fight before. but never like this.
III such deadly enmity, with such glo-
rious disregard of consequences. They
had leaped together facing cant hook
and peavey as If they went to pillow
light, and there was a laughter of rage
upon most of the eaces ne could