Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-05-04

Cured.
sooth he possessed tricks of defense
unknown to me-but his was the pro-
fessional knowledge of the West Point
gym. while had graduated from the
rough school of the camp; where he
had trained for points. for fancy mill
ing. had fought to win against des-
perate opponents. The difference told.
for beat him down, caring nothing
for what blows reached me. SO that
smashed in through his guard. and
landed. Again and again tented with
my right. and drove my left straight to
the exposed Jaws. gave him no time
to cry out, to even catch a full breath.
There was no sound to be heard q hum
dred feet away. / became machine.
grimly determined, desire to punish
thrcbbing in my veins. He fought cat.
like and foul, but l only laughed. and
angered him. drove him out into
the open where could see better. I
was fighting now, with nc thought Of
protecting myself. only of hurting him.
l tried for knockout, but he blocked
me. clinging desperately to my arm.
tore loose once more. flinging him
aside bewildered and breathless.
"Now, Raymond" said. that trick
doesn't work second time. Stand up
to 1t, you coward! You wanted q
fight, and you are going to have one.
What! The gun again? guess moi"
He had jerked it out before I
reached him, but my hand closed over
his-the hammer fell, digging into the
flesh of my thumb, and the pain mad
dened me; he staggered back from
the impetus of my body, and tore
loose, the iron still imbedded In my
flesh, and struck him. The pearl
handle crashed to the side of his head.
tearing my hand in jagged wound. but
he went over, dropping to the grass as
II dead. He gave no moan. no sound;
for an instant his limbs twitched, and
then he lay there. curled into ball.
stared down at him, painting. scarce
ly realizing just what had occurred.
An instant before he had been fighting
like a tiger cat. now he was motion
less, grotesque shadow. Blood
streamed from my lacerated hand, and
bound up the wound in q neckerchief
stripped from around my throat, hard.
ly conscious Of the pain, my breath
steadying, my muscles growing tense.
Then I bent down, and Strengthened
the man out, upturning his face to the
moon. He was not dead-there was q
beat to his pulse; but the cash on his
head was an ugly one; he would have
scar there while he lived. He lay
like dead man. his face CHASTITY. his
thin lips drawn back from his teeth,
and seemingly GREATNESS. But for that
faint, barely perceptible throb Of the
pulse. would have thought him killed.
And now what? Kelly, and his fol.
lowers. would not be gone long explor-
ing the depths Of the ravine-an hour
at most would take them over every
inch Of it. We must have more of q
start than that. There were troops
yonder. Fox would never worry over
the disappearance of Raymond, but
Moran might; and he was In com.
mand. There was squad Of horse.
men out there now, beyond the corner
Of the church. and riding southwark
they might be in search Of the missing
lieutenant and his three troopers. I
dare not leave the fellow where he
was to recover consciousness, and give
an alarm, or be discovered by others.
There were two things possible to
do-to roll the body into the ravine. or
bear it with me. The first would be
murder; the second a tax upon my
physical strength which might not
Withstand. Yet there was no other
way. but to try the experiment
tossed the discarded revolver into
the bushes, and struggled with the
limp body until l was able to rise to
my feet with the unconscious man
dangling across my shoulder. He was
OF good girth and weight. but sue
ceeded in staggering the few yards
necessary with the burden. and theh
hotsted him across the saddle. head
and heels dangling. The horse snort.
ed and circled to get away, frightened
at his unusual burden, but soothed
the animal, and finally he smiled ct
the mans legs, and stood still.
CHAPTER xxx.