The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1917-01-25

ing ndrQ IN stephen ~ MARA prSaSt
His step was slow that afternoon when
he drew apart TO take up his position
alone upon a bit of higher ground, his
shoulders heavy and dropping, yet his
brain was feverishly active
They came slowly at first Wicker
shams logs-thudding heavily. one by
one. into the underpinnings of TIL
bridge. sliding free or lodging cross eur
rent, as the case might be. then in q
thicker and thicker tide that ground
and up ended and settled with the
weight of the coffee colored food lie
hind 1t. In the beginning the handful
of men who had put those timbers int
place set themselves doggedly To safe
their completed structure until the MAJ
who had worked with them shoulder
to shoulder through the night called
them with a nod back to the bank
Obediently then they collected In
small knot behind him. murmurous.
gutturally grumblng.
The coming of Wickersham's men
was not n thing of degrees. They pour
ed into View through the brush fringe
at the north edge of the marsh aud
halted. but only for an instant
who is your friend at the time
when you need a friend? Harrigan.
that's mel"
"Harrigan. that's me- And there
came lull in the valley at Thirty
Mile. broken only by heavy breathing
and the crunch of logs jamming be-
meath the bridge and the ugly swirl of
backed up water.
And then Harrigan stood forth Long
arms dangling. palms back. almost to
his knees. that red headed one minced
forward on the balls of his feet. Har.
rigan was redeeming promise many
weeks overdue. 1t was spring and
Harrigan had come back!
I'm here" he spoke TO that bowed
head. IF you are afther carin' TO wei
come me!''
I've been expecting you. Harrigan."
Again that startling mildness.
There Is little wonder that 1t deceiv
/ ed the riverman. Listening. watching
O'Mara's slack form. even Fat Joe's
face burned, even Archie Wickersham's
dared flash in triumph. And Harrigan's
went savagely exultant.
I
tainted. is ii so difficult you find
it now to speak up SO ! can hearT'
Would you promise to listen to ar
gument, Harrigan?
Vilifcation tore at the others lips I'M
til friend and enemy marveled at what
Steve took In silence.
You have begun many things In
this country" the long tirade end
ed. You came out of these woods
with rags on your back and started "A
bein' a gentleman when we were oniA
bhoys. You've made a great sue
cess av 1t with the ladies'. we'll grant
you that. But you should have stuck
to your soft and lily white pastime. for
when you aimed to turn this river into
a gentleman's proposition you started
something too big for You to finish. I'm
taking it Off your hands now. Can't
you even talk back like a man."
Maybe you are right. Harrigan."
Steve said, "You may bel do not
know. have started big things and
left them unfinished But you are
wrong for the rest of it. Harrigan. for
! am going-tO--finish-you
and struck him. Harrigan's hands had
not left his hips before he met the
ground. and he was back on his feet
like bounding ball. only to go down
again before the smashing impact OF
those blows. Caution he tried to use
| In rising. and they searched out his
face, his chin. and drove him hither
and yon. Open fighting was not the
river style Of fighting. and he closed
this time and wrapped his gorilla arms
about this fury who fought with light
ming strokes to keep him off. His
greater weight o'erbore them both. He
broke away, and his hobnailed boots
flashing out bit the flesh Of OMara's
temple-they tore the turf where his
face had been.
There was madness IN Harrigan's
hideous roarings of hate, madness In
his blind rushes, and his bull strength
availed at first He weathered destruc-
ton and managed to close again. This
time the lighter man was ready 1or
the scuff Of those armed boots. He
twisted and covered his face with his
shoulder. and only his shirt ripped open
to let blood stream from the rent On
their feet they rocked-to their knees!
Faces grinding into the earth, they
strained and broke away. And always
Harrigan came back and found him
blindly. Once his hairy hands search
ed o'Mara's face, and O'Mara's fore
head went wet with the agony OF fin
gers tearing at his eyesockets. Drop
ping. he escaped that gouging grip.
Coming up, he caught Harrigan's chin
and turned him over backward
Harrigan squandered his strength In
drunken rushes. his breath In screams
of hate. And now Steve was laughing
aloud. He knew that she was watch
ing. knew what loathing was In her
eyes And he-he was a riverman!
Sobbing for air, dripping crimson from
forehead and shoulder, he set himself
and swung from the waist Like
pole axed OK Harrigan stopped as he
was lurching in. His mouth sagged;
his eyes few wide In fixed and stupid