American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-04-08

3
The Battles of the Mountains were
Battles to the Death.
though II was, 1t was the only chance
he had. And his long body leaped like
n serpent through the air.
Physical superior though he was,
Cranston would have repealed the at
tack with his rifle II he had had a
chance His blood was already at
the murder heats point always
quickly reached In Cranston-and the
dark. hot fumes In his brain were
simply nothing more nor less than the
most poisonous, bitter hatred. NO
other word exists. IL his class OF de-
generate mountain men had no other
accomplishment, they could hate. All
their lives they practiced the emotion
hatred of their ~neighbors, hatred of
law. hatred of civilization In all Its
forms. Besides, this kind of hillman
habitually fought his duels with rifles
Hands were not deadly enough.
But Dan was past his guard before
ne nuu lillt w ole us bN
whole attack WIS one of the most
astounding surprises Of Cranston's hfe.
Dams BODY struck his. his fists failed,
and to protect himself, Crnnston was
/. obliged to drop the rifle. They stag
gered. ms IL in some weird dance, on
/, the trail and their arms clasped In
q clinch.
For a long instant they stood strain
: ing. seemingly m~otionless. Cranston's
/, powerful body had stood up well under
: the shock of Dams leap. II was q
hand-to-hand battle now. The rifle
\ had slid on down the hillside, to be
caught In n clump Of brush twenty
o feet below. Dan called on every ounce
of his strength, because he knew what
o mercy he might expect n Cranston
l. mastered him. The battles OF tins
. mountains we're battles to the death.
g They flung back and forth, wrench
'. Ing shoulders, lashIng fists, teeth ant
feet and fingers. There were no Mar
auis Of Queensberry rules in this bat
tie. Again and again Dan sent hom'
ID his blows; but they all seemed inef
fective. BY now. CranstOn had com
,e pletely overcome the moments adVan
~ tage the other had obtained by tn
power Of his leap. He hurled Dal
IS from the clinch and dashed at hin
N with hard fists.
II is a very common thing TO hen
es Of a silent fight. But II Is really
ne more rare occurrence than most pee
In pIe believe. II IL true that serpent
will often fight In the strangest. MOI
Mt eerle silence: hut human beings ar
rs not serpents. They partake more Z
the qualities If the meat-eaters-th
m wolves and feIInes. After the frs
Instant. the noise OF the fight arouse
do the whole hillside The sound Of NJ
nj was in Itself notable. and besides, hot
NJ 4 the mon we're bowling the prin
~ nrdial battle cries Of hatred and vel
geance.
," For two long minutes Dan fougl
on with the strength Of desperation. sur
VI moning M last an that mysterious r
serve force with which all men a
,st born Pint he was playing a losii
tie game The malady with which he hi
M suffered had taken too much Of b
hy. vigor. Even as he struggled. II Scent
res 70 him that the vista about him. u
dark mines. the colOred leaves OF q
perennial ~shrubhery. the yellow pa
arv we're all Obscured in n strange. Will
nc mist. A great wind roared In his ca
8, and his heart was evidently nbo
? a 10 SILVER 10 pieces.
the But still he fought on. not daring
ma. yield He could no longer parry Graz
led toms blows. The latter's arms We
.ick around him in one Of those deaf
holds that wrestlers know: and y
rho struggled IN vain 10 free hirns'
Cranston's face itself seemed hidet
cor and unreal in the mist that was cree
non ing over him. He did not recogn
,ns. the curious humping sound as era
toms fists on his flesh. And n
Cranston had hurled hin on his u
nat Nothing mattered further. He
fought the best he could. This CT
..o beast could pOunce on him AZ
-. and hammer away his life. But $
- he struggled. Except for the eoDsti
play Of his muscles, his almost
conscious effort 70 free himself :
- Kept one Of Cranston's ARMS b
holding him down. that fight ON
mountain path might have come {