Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1915-03-12

held guilty OF her fathers murder, ihe
man who masqueraded under my W
name. I felt my blood grow hot with
anger. lilo would pass within n yard
OF me; he was alone. seeking his way,
e%ndeavorlng TO plan how he should
lead his sayages to an assault. II
could get him II would be half the bat
tie.
! watched him closely, peerlng about
the smooth bark Of the tree. one foot
advanced ready for a spring. Some
instinct OF wild life must have told
him OF my presence. for he stopped
stIll, peerlng about suspiciously, his
rife flung forward. | dared not delay,
yet swift as ! was. his quick eye
caught my movement. The gun butt
swinging through the air met his rife
barrel, slid along the steel, and struck
a glnncing blow. lie reeled back,
dazed, half stunned, dropping his wi
weapon, yet SELLING the muzzlo OF mine
TO keep from falling. ! ~endeavored to
jerk II free, but he hung to II des-
perately. Scarce knowing how 1t was
done, we we're together. graphing
each other. the disputed CUR kicked
aside under our feet.
lie sworo once, a mad English oath,
but | choked II back, clutchlng his
throat In iron grip. strainlng to force
him to the fulcrum OF my knee. Then
he found grasp OF my hair, hurllng my
head back until the agony compelled
me TO let go. ! struck him square In
the face. n blow that would have
dropped an ordinary man. but he only
snarled. and closed In. graphing my
wrist with n hand. the other fumb-
ling for n knife at his belt. BY Gods
mercy | got Il first: yet could not
strike. for he had me foul. grlpped to
him as II held in q wise. | could feel
the muscles OF his chest, the straining
sinews Of his arms as they crushed
me. ! gave back. down. my limbs
trembling beneath the force with
which he flung tho whole weight OF his
body against mine. | had met my
match, and ! knew II. Yet the knowl-
edge gave me fresh strength, fiercer
determination. The very conception
OF defeat crazed me; my brain held no
thought save n mad impulse to IN
quer him, show him who was the bet
ter man!
wrenched aside, breaking that
strangle.hold by sheer strength and
wrestling skill. Again we grlpped,
face to face, our muscles stTaining as
We sought advantage OF hold. My
hunting shirt gave, tearing apart like
brown paper, giving me n scant see
ond az his grasp slipped. II was
enough, | had him locked at my hip;
yet strain as | would his weight BAT
fed every effort. Back and forth we
struggled. crushing the bushes under
foot, our breath coming In sobs, every
muscle aching under the awful strain.
Neither dared loosen n finger grip. Our
eyes elared into each other with saw.
age hate. How It would have ended
God knows, had the fellow not slipped
on tho brush root. so that the added
weight OF my body nung him head.
long. Even as he went over, bearing
me along with him. his head crashing
into the side OF a tree as he fell, his
lips gave vent to one wild cry. Then
he lay still. %motionless, a huge black
shape outstrctched on the ground IN
the CHASTITY light OF dawn.
got to my knees, scarcely realizing
what had happened, peerlng down into
tho upturned face, one hand raised to
strike II the man moved. There was
not a motion. | bent lower-the eyes
we're closed, blood drlpped from his
hair. ! turned the head. so as to bet.
ter perceive Che features surely this
was not the man for whom | had been
mistaken! lie wac big enough. but
marked by dissipation, and wore a
black must0che. As ! live there was
not n resemblance. Who was he
them | got to my feet and searched
out my rife In the tangled brush
Some noise reached me-the splash oil
water, the echo OF a far-of voice. They
were coming, the Indians; they had
/, heard his laet cry; they were already
crossing tho ford. hesitated an In
slant, staring down A. him, listening
~intently that | might be sure. ther
/ turned and ran swiftly toward the
/ clearing. II was already gray dawn
/ and even IN the dense woods | coult
/ see to avoid the trees. Behind m,
rang out a wild whoop OF savagery
) they had discovered the body!
D glanced back across my shoulder, as
ran: burst forth into the clearing. and
reckless OF all else. raced for thu
a house. fell once, my foot slipping OF
a hummock, but was up instantly
A plunged at tho door, and leaped with
4 in. Brady caught me. thrust the wood
4 en- bars down into their sockets. an,
half dragged me owe 10 the bench.