Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-10-24
Knocked the Mar Down Again With a
Blow of His Fist.

DIOT ~ THO EIols
They supported the unconscious man
through the doorway; the young fell,
low resumed his seat on the box, also
his pipe filling.
"Roarin' Bills goin' to get himself
killed one uh these days."
Hazel started, but it was only Jim
Briggs in the doorway beside her.
II guess you amt much used to see
in that sort of exhibition where you
come from, Miss Weir" Briggs wife
put in over his shoulder. MY land,
it's disgustin'-men fghtin' in the
street where everybody can see 'em.
Thank goodness, it don't happen very
often. Specially when Bill Wagstatf
amt around. You amt shocked, are
you, honeyw =
"Why, I didn't have time to be
shocked" Hazel laughed. ut was
done so quickly"
IF them fellers would leave Bill
alone" Briggs remarked, 'there
wouldn't be no fight. But he goes off
like a hair-trlgger gun, and he'd scrap
a dozen quick as one. I'm lookin' to
see his finish one uh these days."
"What a name!" Hazel observed,
caught by the appellation Briggs had
first used. SIS that Roaring Bill over
there?"
'That's hiln-Roarin' Bill W~agstaff,"
Briggs answered. eff he takes a few
drinks, you'll find out tonight how he
got the name. Sings-just like a bull
moose--hear him all over town. Prob
ably whip two or three men before
mornin'."
His spouse calling him at that mo-
ment, Briggs detailed no more infor-
nation about Roaring Bill. And Hazel
sat looking across the way with con-
siderable interest at the specimen Of
q type which hitherto she had encoun-
tered in the pages of fiction-a fight
ing man, what the West called a chad
actor" She had, however, no wish
for closer study Of that particular
type. The men of her world had been
altogether different, and the few from.
tier specimens she had met at the
Briggs dinner table had not i'm
pressed her with anything except their
shyness and manifest awkwardness in
her presence. The West itself ap.
pealed to her, its bigness, it's nearness
to the absolutely primeval, but not the
people she had so far met. And SC
sha looked at Roaring Bill Wagstaff
over the way, with a quite impersona,
interest.
He came into Briggs place for sup
per. Mrs. Briggs was her own wait
ress. Briggs himself sat beside Hazel
She heard him grunt, and saw a milo
look Of surprise fit over his counte
nance when Roaring Bill walked In
and coolly took a seat. But not unit
Hazel glanced at the newcomer did she
recognize him as the man who hat
fought in the street. He was looking
straight at her when she did glance
up, and the mingled establishment ant
frank admiration in his clear gray
eyes made Hazel drop hers quickly tt
her plate. Since Mr.. Andrew Bush
she was beginning to hate men wht
looked at her that way. And she could
not help seeing that many did so look
The next Saturday Hazel went fol
a tramp in the afternoon. The few
walks she had taken had dulled al
sense of uneasiness in v%enturing into
the Unfolding forest. She felt that those
shadowy woods were less sinister thar
man. And since she had always KEEP
her sense of direction and com
, straight to the Meadows whenever SHE
! went abroad, she had no fear o.
, thought Of losing her way.
r To reach her objective point, sht
, crossed a long stretch of rolling land
well timbered, dense in parts will
thickets Of berry bushes. Midway IL
this she came upon a little brook, purr
! ing a monotone as 1t crawled ovel
pebbled reaches and bathed the tangled
roots Of trees along it's brink. By thi!
she sat a while. Then she idled along
coming after considerable difficulty t.