The state herald., 1921-01-04


sounds were stilled. The two men
stood face to face. Dan tranquil, Grams
ton shaken by passion.
II give you," said Dan with entire
coldness. ian opportunity to take that
back. Just about four seconds"
He stood very straight as he spoke,
and his eyes did not waver In the
least. 1t would not be the truth to say
that his heart was not leaping like
wild thing in his breast. A dark
mist was spreading like madness over
his brain; but yet he was striving to
keep his thoughts clear. Stealthily.
without seeming to do so. he was set
ting his muscles for spring.
The only answer to his words was
n laugh-a roaring laugh Of scorn
from Cranston's dark lips. In his
laughter. his intent. catlike vigilance
relaxed. Dan saw chance; feeble
tnougn It was, IT was the only chance
he had. And his long body leaped like
a serpent through the air.
Physical superior though he was.
Cranston would hive repelled the at
tack with his rifle II he had had n
chance. His blood was already at
the murder heat-a point always
quickly reached In Cranston-aAd the
dark, hot fumes In his brain were
simply nothing more nor less than the
most poisonous. bitter hatred. No
other word exists. II his class Of de-
generate mountain men had no other
accomplishment, they could hate. An
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
he had time to raise his gun. The
whole attack ws one of the most
astounding surprises of CranstOn's life
Dams body struck his, his fists failed
and to protect himself, Cranston was
obliged to drop the rifle. They stag
gered. as If In some weird dance, on
the trail; and their arms clasped In
a clinch.
For long instant they stood strain
ing, seemingly motionless. Cranston's
powerful body had stood up well under
the shock Of Dams leap. 1t was a
hand-to-hand battle now. The rifle
had slid on down the hillside, to he
caught in clump of brush twenty
feet below. Dan called on every ounce
Of his strength. because he knew what
mercy he might expect II Crnnston
mastered him. The battles of the
mountains were battles to the death.
They flung back and forth, wrench
Ing shoulders lashlng fists, teeth and
feet and fingers There were no Mar
quis of Queensherry rules In this bat.
tie. Again and again Dan sent home
his blows; but they all seemed inef
fective. By now. Cranston had com.
ple,ely overcome the moments advnn-
tnge the other had obtained by the
power Of his leap. He hurled Dan
from the clinch and lnshed at him
with hard fists.
1t is a very common thing to hear
of silent fight. But It is really
more rare occurrence thnn most peo-
pie believe. II is true that serpents
will often fight In the sirancesf. most
eerie silence; hut human beings are
not serpents. They partake more >of
the qualities Of the meat-eaters-the
wolves and fellnes, After the first
instant, the noise of the fight aroused
the whole hillside. The sound OF blows
was in itself notable, and besides. both
~ the men were howAng the prln-
ordlnl battle cries OF hatred and ven
geance.
For two long minutes Dan fought
with the strength OF desperation. sum.
monIng nj last all that mysterious re
serve force with which NIL men are
born. But he was playing losing
gnme. The malndy with which he had
suffered had taken too much Of his
vlgor. Even MS he struggled. II seemed
to him that the vlstn about him. the
dark pines, the c0'ored leaves of the
perennial shruhhcrv. the yellow path
were ali obscurcd IN n strange. white
mist. A great wind ronred In his ears
and his heart was evidently about
TO sliver to pieces.
But stlll he fought on. not daring 10
yield. lie could no longer parry Grams
toms blows The ln,'er's arms went
around him In one OF those deadly
holds that wrcstlers know: and Dan
struggled In vain 10 free himself
CmnHon's face Itself seemed hldeous
and unreal In the mist that was creep
ine over him. He lid not recognize
thp curious humping sound ne Grams
TONS nsts ON his flesh And now
Crpuston had hurled him on his feet
Nothing mnttcrcd further. He had
fought the best he could This cruel
bonst could pounce ON him Mt will
md hammer away his life But still
he struggled Except for the constant
niny OF his muscles, his almost nm.
conscious effort TO free himself that
kent one Of crnnSton's arms huay