Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-04

III rCt Hiui Suii tau utANN'u
those hind legs aud run ignominious.
ly, though wisely, was more than the
Indian could bear and retain his tenn
per- So. solemnly, stern vengeance
personified. he stepped quickly to the
edge of the sidewalk, placed one moe
casined foot firmly against Mr..
Dykes neither portions, and pushed,
at the same time cutting the young
mans ear with the sweep OF a mighty
hand
The terrorizer sprawled in the jan
uary mud, his gun flew far from his
grasp. and before he could sputter his
way to conference or gather his I'M
wieldy feet, half dozen citizens had
pounced upon his weapon and borne
1t away In relieved jubilance.
Now. jag without gun was TO
Chef Dyke even as rose without
perfume so he straightway sulked
and, drained bottle beside him, sought
solace in slumber among the smelly
harnesses which draped dark closet
In the stage barn.
There he was, hours later, whep
the stage made its sloppy way into
town, bringing a quartet of passen.
gers from the morning train, which
had dumped them of at Clearwater,
a dozen miles to the south. and en-
trusted them to the ordeal of passage
over those rutted Oklahoma roads.
Chester grunted and reused and
sensed that horrid taste, and rose to
mlnsle with the group which watched
the stage splash to halt, his eyes
bleary, his temper inflamed.
The passengers disembarked
First came an Usage, head shaver
except for a scalp lock, and the scant
hair smearcd sticky red; blueand-
green-and.pinkstriped blanket high
about his ears. thrusting his stubby,
lcgging.clad calf over the mud-caked
wheel and waddling off through the
Onlookcrs with flicker Of yellow
muccaslss and never a look about
him
Then youth with fancy.slitched
riding boots, u wide hat, flaming ker.
chief about his neck, and nopchalant
cigarette, gaining the sidewalk with
the bored sigh of the widely Travelled,
greeting a watcher or two with DIES.
ultory nod. and facing about to watch
the other journeyers.
The third was an easy type: A
drummer, from hard hat to sample
cases. He scurried for the kiheka
House the instant he could gather his
luggage.
The fourth was stranger.
Tall and broad and dark, with a
chin that was held nigh. and eyes that
looked about with frank scrutiny at
sights which were BADLY strange, he
stood on the edge of the walk for
what seemed an incredibly long time.
More than being stranger to III.
heka, he was not of the borderland.
That was evident from his clothes,
which sceamed the far east.
And it was this fact above all else
which Chef Dyke, once the good-na.
tured, now the quarrelsOme, could
comprehend with his befuddled facul.
ties. On the recognition he thought
he had found an outlet for all those
emotions which he had suddenly dis.
covered were pent UP.
He stepped out from the ring of
onlookers and walked close to the
stranger; the young man saw his first
movements and watched the advance
curiously.
We'll, who're you. lookin' around
so sassy like" Chef demanded
The other started slightly, flushed,
then appeared to sense his interroga
tors condition.
He stopped to gather his two bags
and smiled good-naturedly. Offering
no answer. Being thus ignored was
a red cape to Dykes bullying spirit
"Say--you goin' to answer ME?
Who're you. SO damned sassy iike?"
The new arrival stood looking
squarely into the mans face. bag
in either hand
mo. | don't know az I'm going to
answer you he said mildly, the smile
still on his lips.
why not?" Keeling forward un.
steadily.
Because, in The first place. you're
drunk; another thing, | don't like to
have questions put to me in that
tone"
Dyke considered thickly moment.
Don't hey?' he sneered ''Don't
hey? Damned Eastern dude. what
YOU are. Damned Eastern dude -
take that"
And he swung heavily, true. but
the man he reviled held a burden in
either hand; before he could realize,
loose his fingers, and raise an arm to
defend himself. D,He's blow had
crashed against his temple.
The easterner stumbled, sidewlsc
under the impact
'Here--Chet, you fool" and a
man stepped forward to pull away the
belligerent.
Let him alone he's In for IT,"
another warned
He had seen the assaulted man re-.
cover aud steady hinselt, had seen
The face blanch With lust anger, and