The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-06-09

noise
A fash OF lightning split the black
ness.
Clay dropped to his knees and
crawled away, Another bolt, with sts
accompanying roar famed out.
Still the westerner did not fire IN an
swer though he knew just where the
target for his bullet was. A plan had
come to him. In the blackness Of that
room one might empty his revolver
and not score hit. To walt was to
take u chance of being potted, but he
did not want the death of even such
ruffian as Durand on his soul.
The crash of the automatic and the
rattle OF glass filled the room. Jerry.
blazing away at some fancied sound.
had shattered the window.
Followed long silence. Durand
was resolved to wait until his enemy
grew restless and betrayed himself.
The delay became test of moral
stamina. The contest was not one Of
grit, but of that unflawed nerve which
Is so much the result of perfect physi-
cal fitness. Clay's years of clean life
on the desert counted heavily now. He
was master of himself. though his
mouth was dry as a whisper and there
were goose quilts on his flesh.
But Durand, used to the fetid at
mosphere Of barrooms and to the soft
living Of the great city, found his
nerve beginning to crack under the
strain. What kind OF a man was his
enemy to lie there in the black silence
and not once give sign of where he
was, In spite of crashing bullets? Was
1t possible that he could have killed
the fellow at the first shot? The COM
fort Of this thought whispered hope in
the ear of the ex-prlze-fighter.
A chair crashed wildly. Durand
fired again and yet again, his nerves
giving way to a panic that carried him
to swift action. He could not have
stood another moment without scream
ing.
There came the faint sound Of a
hand cropping on the wall, and imme-
diately after flood of light filed the
room.
Clay stood by the door. His revolt
yer covered the crouchlng gang leader.
His eyes were hard and pltiless.
TRY another shot," he advised iron
ically.
Jerry did. A harmless click was all
the result he got. He knew now that
his last shots at a bit Of furniture
flung across the room.
you'll tell me what you did with
Kitty Mason" said Clay In his low,
persuasive voice, just as though there
had been no intermisson of flying bull
let's since he had mentioned the girl
before.
You can't kill me. when / haven't
a loaded gum" DuraDd answered be-
tween dry lips.
The other man nodded an admission
of that point. That's an advantage
you've got of me. You could kill me IL
l didn't have a gun, because you're a
yellow wolf. But l can't kill you.
That's right. But | can beat hill out
Of you, and I'm sure goin' to do It,"
talks cheap, when you've got a
loaded six-gun In your fist" jeered
Jerry.
With flirt of his hand Clay tossed
the revolver to the top of a bookcase,
)ut of easy reach Of man standing
IN the floor. He ripped open the but
ons of his overcoat and slipped out Of
t, then moved forward with elastic
;tep.
Its you or me now, Jerry Du-
and"
The prize-fghter gave snort of de-
isive triumph. "You d-n fool I'll
at you alive"
"Mebbeso. | reckon my system can
ssimilate any whalin' you're liable to
and me. Go to it."
Durand had the heavy shoulders and
yelling muscles that come from years
f training for the ring. Like most
ugilists out of active service he had
AIKEN on flesh. But the extra weight
'as not fat, for Jerry kept always in
God condition. He held his leader
hip partly at least because Of his
hysical prowess. No tough in New
ork would willingly have met him In
h-and-tumble fight.
The younger man was more slightly
uilt He was HerTnes rather than
Hercules. His muscles flowed.
hey did not bulge. But when he
loved it was with the litheness of a
anther. The long lines of shoulder
nd loin had the flow of tigerish grace.
he clear eyes in the brown face told
soul indomitable in a perfectly
'nchronized body.
Durand dashed out with a swinging
it, all the weight of his body behind
lie blow. Clay stepped back, shot
ard straight right to the cheek and
lcked the counter. Jerry rushed him,
iiling at his foe blow on blow, intend
e to wear him out by sheer hard
He butted with his head
nd knee, used every foul trick he had
armed in his rotten trade of prize
citing Active as wild cat, the
rizonan side-stepped scored left
! the eye, ducked again and fought
olr Tho fs,ri,,-c attach