Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-05-08

and gone down to his hands and knees
Swift as wildcat the younger maj
was on top of him. Hampered thougl
he was by his parka, the Scotsman
! struggled slowly to his feet again. HI
was much the heavier man, and Il
! spite Of his years the stronger. III,
!, muscles stood out In knots on hi
I shoulders and across his back, wherea!
on the body Of his more slender oppo
nent they flowed and rippled in round
ed symmetry. Active as heather cat
Elliot was far the quicker of the two.
i Half-bllnded by the hammering he
had received, Gordon changed his
method Of fighting. He broke away
from the clinch and sidestepped the
bull-like rush OF his foe, covering UP
% wen as he could from the onset
Macdonald pressed the attack and was
beaten back by hard, straight lefts and
rights to the unprotected face.
The mine-0wner shook the matted
hair from his swollen eyes and rushed
again. He caught an uppercut flush on
the end Of the chin. It did not even
stop him. The weight OF his body waa
N the blow he dashed up from his
side.
The knees Of Elliot doubled up un-
der him like the blade Of a jack-knife.
he sank down slowly, turned, got to
his hands and knees. and tried to
shake of the tons OF weight that
seemed to be holding MIN down.
Macdonald seized him about the
waist and flung him to the ground.
Upon the inert body the victor dropped,
his knees clinching the torso Of the
unconscious man.
'.Now. Pete. Go to himl" urged Holt
wildly.
But before saltwater could move,
| before the great fist Of Macdonald
could smash down upon the bleeding
face upturned to his. a sharp blow
struck the flesh Of the raised forearm
and for the moment stunned the mus
cles. The Scotch Canadian lifted a
countenance drunk with rage, passion.
! tossed.
Slowly the light Of reason came back
into his eyes. Sheba was standing be-
fore him, his rifle In her hand. She
had struck him with the butt Of 1t.
Don't touch him! Don't you dare
touch himw she challenged.
He looked at her long, then let his
eyes fall to the battered face OF his
enemy. Drunkenly he got to his feet
aad leaned against willow. His
forces were spent, his muscles weight
ed as with lead. But 1t was not this
alone that made his breath come short
and raggedly.
Sheba had flung herself down beside
her lover. She had caught him tightly
in her arms so that his disfigured face
lay against her warm bosom. In the
eyes lifted to those of the mine-owner
was an unconquerable defiance.
"Hes mIne-mine, You murderer"
she painted fiercely. IF you kill him,
you must kill me first"
The man she had once promised to
marry was looking at different won-
an from the girl he had known. The
soft, shy youth Of her was gone. She
was forest mother Of the wilds ready
to fight for her young, q wife ready to
70 to the stake for the husband OF her
choice, An emotion primitive and
poignant had transformed her.
His eyes burned at her the question
his parched lips and throat could
scarcely utter. $50 you love
himr
But though 1t was in form question
he knew already the answer. For the
first time in his life he began to taste
the bitterness Of defeat. Always he
had won what he coveted BY brutal
force or his stark will. But It was be
yond him to compel the love Of q girl
who had given her heart to another.
EYES," she answered.
Her hair in two thick braids was
flung across her shoulders her dark
head thrown back proudly from the
rounded throat.
Macdonald smiled, but there was no
mirth in his savage eyes. DO you
know what I want with hiI1-why !
have come to get him."
"NO."
.T'ye come to take him back to Ku-
siak to be hanged because he muir
dered Milton, the bank cashier"
The eyes Of the woman blazed at
ST., ga no vO,, mad -
..It's the truth" Macdonald's voice
was curt and harsh. "He and Holt
we've robbing the. bank when Milton
came back from the dance at the club.
The towards shot down the old man
like a dog. They'll hang for 1t Il It
costs me my last penny. so help me
God"
'sYou say it's the truth" she retort-
ed scornfully. SDo you think I don't
know you now-how you twist and dis
tort facts to suit your ends3 How long
is It since your jackal had him arrest
ed for assaulting you--when Wally Sell
fridge knew and you knew-that he
had risked his life for you and had
saved yours by bringing you to Danes
after he had bandaged your wounds"
sThat was different. It was part Of
the game Of politics we were playing"
.You admit that you and your
friends lied then. Is It like you could
persuade me that you're telling the
truth nowf"
The big Alaskan shrugged. BE
lieve It or not as you like. Anyhow,