The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-01-29
CONTINUED from Page p

whole lot" he thought, and stopping.
picked up small stone. On the in
slant the two men. having approached
within thirty feet Of their quarry,
made a rush for him.
Their charge was swift, but though
it was, the little stone which John
Stuart Webster hurled was swifter. It
struck the young man fairly between
the ShOulderblades with Il force suffi-
Gent to bring him out Of his senti-
mental reverie with jerk. as it were.
lie whirled, saw the danger that
threatened him, and-sprang to meet
it.
"Bravo!" yelled Webster, and ran to
his aid, for he had seen now that it
was to be knife work. Tragedy in
stead Of melodrama.
The man with the puckered eye
closed in with such eagerness it was
apparent to Webster that here was
work to his liking. The young man
raised his light cane, but Pucker-eye
did not hesitate. He merely threw up
his left forearm to meet the expected
blow aimed at his head, lunged for.
ward and slashed viciously at the
young mans abdomen. The latter
drew back a step. doubled like a Jack.
knife. and brought his cane down
viciously across the knuckles Of his
assailant's right hand.
$50 1t is thou, son Of a pig" he
called pleasantly in Spanish. II fool
ed you that time: didn't II" he added
in English. '"rhought I would aim
for your head, didn't you?'
The blow temporarily paralyzed the
assassin's hand; he dropped the knife,
and rs he stopped to recover it with
his left hand. the young man, before
retreating from Pop-eye, kicked Puck
er-eye in the face and quite upset him.
stop til" shouted Webster.
POp-eye turned his head at the out
cry. The man he was attacking fell
into the position Of swordsman en-
garde. and thrust viciously with the
ferrule at the face Of the pop-eyed man,
who. disregarding Wcbster's approach,
seized the cane in his left hand and
with a quick, powerful tug actually
drew his victim toward him foot be-
fore the latter let go the stick.
Before he could give ground again
Pop-eye was upon him. He grasped
the young man by the latter's left
arm and held him. while he drew back
for the awful disembowiling stroke.
AS his long arm sped forward the hook
of John Stuart Websters heavy cane
descended upon that flexed arm in the
crook Of the elbow, snagging it
cleverly.
The knife never reached it's destina.
ton!
"You would, would your said Web
ster reproachfully, and jerked the fell
low violently around. The man he had
rescued promptly struck Pop-eye
terrible blow in the face with his left
hand and broke loose from the grip
that had so nearly been his undoing;
then Webster tapped the assassin a
meditative tap or two on the top of his
sinful head for good measure and to
awaken in him some sense of the i'm
propriety and futility Of resistance,
after which Webster turned to dis
cuss a similar question Of ethics with
Pucker-eye.
The scar-chceked man was on his
knees. cropping groggily for his knife,
for he had received severe kick I'M
der the chin, and for the nonce was
far from dangerous. STOPPING, Web
ster picked up the knife; then with
knife and cane graspcl in his left
hand he seized Pucker-eye by the nape
with his right and jerked him to his
feet. The assassin stood glowering at
him in a perfect frenzy Of british, in.
articulatc fury.
''Take the knife away from the
other fellow before he gets active
again." Webster called over his Shout
der. "I'll manage this rascal. Well
march them over to the market and
turn them over to the police" He
spoke in Spanish.
"Thanks, ever so much. for my life
the Young man answered lightly, and
III EllHllSu, Dul N1lClC NctiC IL oIh ~
is not the fashion to settle these argu-
ments lin court of law. To call an
officer is considered unclublike; to
shoot a prisoner in this country is
considered murder, and consequently
I have but one alternative and advise
YOU, my good friend, to have a little
of the same. I'm going to run like the
devil"
And he did. He was in full flight
before Webster could glance around,
and in an instant he was lost to sight
among the trees.
THAT advice sounds eminently fair
and reasonable" Webster yelled after
him, and was about to follow when he
observed that the young man had
abandoned his pretty little silver
chased walking stick.
That's TOO nice 4 little stick +"