The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-04-13
cHAPTER X.
The Fight In the Timber.

The fight In the Timber.
When Sandry awoke next morning
the graz day was alight outside his
pane and he could hear the rumble OF
the dinkey as II rocked up from the
lower rollway. BY this he knew that
breakfast was over and the crews out
in the hills. Therefore he got into hts
clothes in double.quick time. swung up
20 the cook. shack. washed In the porch
and presented himself with apologies
TO Ma Daily.
Siletz came in in the dusk OF the
long room and set the cup beside him.
quiet, soft.footed. slim and straight
in her plain garments. She seemed
made for service. the unquestioning
service OF woman, as she waited upon
his needs after the fashion OF the prim.
tive mate OF man. She placed a last
touch here and there. smiled at him
and crossing to the west door, snapped
her fingers 10 the big mongrel and
stepped out.
Sandry. his hand unconsciously
poised with raised spoon. watched her.
He saw her hasten as she neared the
edge OF the level, and finally, as II she
could no longer hold herself 10 the
decorum OF her pace, break into flight,
running like a deer up among the pines
with long bounding leaps. As she dis
appeared he dropped HE hand and be-
came aware OF Ma Daily in the door
20 the kitchen. She, too. was watching
her.
Mrs. Daily" he said suddenly. what
is Sletz?"
The old lady turned on him quickly
the piercing glance OF her sharp eyes.
Just a girl" she said su~ccinctly.
She turned to her realm and Sandry
rose and went out in the mist tie
climbed steadily with something OF
the logger movement. This much he
had learned along with a thousand
other things OF the free life, and yet
he was a novice-Johnny Eastern
still.
He was thinking deeply rs ne
climbed, lost IN the majestic silence OF
the hushed pines with the sitting car
pet OF needles at their feet, and II ~'as
some time after the first sounds from
ahead had come TO him dimly that he
wakened 70 the loud voices OF men in
quarrel. As he broke through the wall
OF dripping waist oigh fern he came
full upon a sight that stirred his blood.
and fred his wratn. In spite OF mis- et.
fort TO keep calm. There In the new
cutting stood Hampden, his face red
with fury, hts eyes swapping, his dou'
bled fists shaking at Daily who front
cd him Behind the two the men were
grouped In menacing punches. They
Were huge fellows, every one u them.
as n they had been picked ~purposeIy.
bare.armcd, Opeu-throated, wet with
the constantly falling. soft mist.
Those OF Hampdeu were armed With
pixies and peayies TO a mainland these
are deadly weapons, j'aily's crew car
ried axes and several had cant
hooks
II told your Johnny Eastern 10 stay
on this here land" cried the owner
OF the Yellow Pines, his voice running
up on the last word In a squeak O
X an I'll see Z he does! An yol
an your river hogs that you pass a.
loggers, Rotten outfit, ye are iUul
git of an stay on This land belongI
TO me by right OF good money paid -
an you tore down O'Connel's home
steader's cabin, That's agin the law!
He thrust out hts heavy face belligeI
emily, inviting insult, a first movement
OF violence. II came. not from Daily
the easy. going. tactful foreman. VII
had righted many topping crises, bu
from Jim Anworthy. the curly.heade
young scapegrace who was the worr
ment and fayorite OF Ma Daily. "A
flung himself forward with a whooI
Rotten are we! Live clean TO Il
heart"
And with a lightning pass he slappe
Hampden square in the face, leapin
backward like a cat. In a Hash N
two groups OF men had mingled an
TIE silent woods al with a confii'
that was a delight TO every heart
the mixup. with the exception, perhaI
OF Hampden. who was too small ar
mean OF nature to love anything Il
its own sake
Sandry on the outskirts beheld
with Consideration.
Mem" he shouted, jumping up on
stump HAM denl '4ampden! Dali!
I%,amPden'"