Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-04-28
CHAPTER xxvlIl-cOntInuod.

You might make the jump" l said.
irawing q revolver from his belt, but
: my best judgment there 10 4 hun
fred foot sheer drop right here, and 1t
would damage you some to take 1t.
See," and l tossed the weapon over
he edge, and we heard the sound as II
struck on the rocks below. 81 guess
Fou'll not try that trick. And no you
Eant me 30 badly you offer a reward.
lead or alive? Isn't It rather my wife
Fou want3"
Il don't believe she is your wife"
mot after she gave you her word!
That Is hardly complimentary to the
ady, lieutenant However l haven't
my reason to be jealous Of you-No-
zen knows you too well by this time;
Fou proved yourself q treacherous cur
a Lewisburg. Now turn around"
There was no other weapon in his
belt, and It never occurred to me that
ae might possess another secreted In
ais jacket: nor did realize the des.
serate hatred Of me which gave him
.eckless courage. What to do with
he fellow obsesBed my mind; pos
sessed nothing to securely bind him
with; could not leave him free. nor
aad l any desire to take him along
with me. He settled the problem him.
self. Suddenly. his arms above his
head. his eyes ON mine, he kicked
viciously, the heavy shoe striking my
wrist, sending the revolver l held
spinning into the grass dozen feet
away. With almost the same move
ment he was Juggling at his jacket
pocket. / saw the CLEAN Of steel, and
gripped his fingers just in time; my
other hand, numbed by the blow dealt
me, was, for the instant, useless. yet
struck him with my elbow full in the
face. had NO grip that would hold
ret It tangled the revolver in the folds
Of cloth 80 he could not draw and
with snarl Of banned rage, he tore
his fingers loose, and clutched at my
throat with both hands. Back and
forth We swayed on the very edge Of
the ravine, kept from plunging down
into the black depths by the interven
ing fringe Of trees, savagely contend
Ing for the mastery. That he was
trained athlete. acquainted with ever
wrestler's trick, knew in y moment
yet this gave me little fear-foF THU
was to be . Tight, no wrestling game
Strong, quick, agile as the man was
never doubted was his match, and
as felt strength come back into m!
hand, and realized that could clsncl
1t again. l. felt coldly confident. Once
twice, / drove my knuckles into hi
exposed face. compelling him to loosel
grip, and throw UP his hands in pre-
lection. And then had him; not tina
he was devoid OF skill as boxer
sooth he possessed tricks of defens
unknown to me-but his was the prC
fessionRl knowledge Of the Wet ~0in
gym, while had graduated from tn
rough school of the camp; where h
had trained for points. for fancy mil
ing, had fought to win against de-
perate opponents. The difference toll
for beat him down. caring nothin
for what blows reached me, so that
smashed in through his guard. an
landed. Again and again tented wit
my right, and drove my left straight
the exposed jaws. gave him no tim
to cry out, to even catch q full breatl
There was no sound to be heard a hui
bred feet away. became . machin
grimly determined, desire to punil
throbbing in my veins. He fought ca
like and foul, but only laughed. an
angered him. l drove him out I'M
the open where ! could see better.
was fighting now. with no thought
protecting myself, only Of hurting hir
l tried for a knockout. but he blocke
me, clinging desperately to my arr
! tore loose once more. ninging hi
aside bewildered and breathless.
Now. Raymond" said. that trio
doesn't work q second time. Stand I
to It, you coward! You wanted
fight, and you are going to have on
What! The gun again? / guess NOT
He had jerked II out before
reached him, but my hand closed ov
his-the hammer fell. digging into Il
! flesh OF my thumb. and the pain ma
] dened me: he staggered back fro
the impetus Of my body, and / to
] loose, the iron still imbedded in a
! flesh, and struck him. The pes
, handle crashed to the side of his hea
J tearing my Ssnd In jagged wound.
! he went over. dropping to the grass
IL dead. He gave no moan. no SCUM
). for an instant his limbs twitched. nj
!. then he lay there. curled into q bs
: l stared down at him. painting. scare
4 ~ realizing just what had occurr'
4 An instant before he had been aghti
= like n tiRer cat, now he was q motiC