The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-08-04

Tor his trade. The naive appeal In her
soft eyes had its weight with the poet.
What is the use of living in Bohemia
If one cannot be free to follow i'm
pulse? He slipped an arm about the
girl and kissed the crimson lips up
turned to him.
Kitty started back with little cry
of distress.
The freedom taken by the near-poet
WIS instantly avenged.
Cosmic Urge beat In the veins of
the savage from Arizona. He took the
poets advice and followed his Law
less Impulse where 1t led. Across the
table long arm reached. Sinewy
fingers closed upon the flowing neck
wear of the fat-faced orator and
dragged him forward, leaving over
turned glasses In the wake of his
course.
The man In velveteens met the eyes
Of the energetic manhandlei and
quailed. This brown-faced barbarian
looked very much like business.
Don't you touch me-! Don't you
dare touch me !" the apostle of anarchy
shrilled as the table crashed down.
''I'll turn you over to the police"
Clay jerked him to his feet. Hard
knuckles pressed cruelty into the soft
throat of the Villager. "Git down on
yore ham bones anCi beg the lady's par
don. Tell her you're yellow pup, but
you don't reckon you'll ever pull a
bone like that again."
The companions of the poet rushed
forward to protest at the manhandliug
of their leader. Those in the rear
damned the front ones close to Clay
and his captive. The COW pun,her
gently but strongly pushed ITEM back.
Don't get on the prod" he advised.
In his genial drawl. 1.-THE poet he's got
an important engagement right now"
A kind of scuffle developed. The pro-
prietor increased 1t by his hysterical
efforts to prevent any trouble. Men
ioined themselves to the noisy group
Of which Clay was the smiling center.
The excitement increased. Distant
corners of the room became the refuge
of the women. Some one struck at the
COW puncher over the heads of those
about him. The mass of closely packed
human beings showed convulsive ac-
tivity. 1t became suddenly the most
popular indoor sport at the Sea Siren
to Stay this barbarian from the desert
who had interfered with the amuse-
ments of Bohemia.
But Clay took lot of Staying. In
the rough-and-tumble life of the out
door West he had learned how to look
hair of his strong lean head rose above
the tangle Of the melee like the bro
midic Helmet of Navarro. reckless
light of mirth bubbled In his dare
devil eyes. The very number of the
opponents who interfered with each
other trying to get at him was guar
antee Of safety. The blows shOwered
at him lacked steam and were badly
timed as to distance.
The pack rolled across the room,
tipped over a table, and deluged an
artist and his affinity with hot choco-
late before they could escape from the
avalanche. Chairs went Ger like
ninepins. Stands collapsed. Men grunt-
ed and shouted advice Girls screamed
The Sea Siren was being wrecked by q
cyclone from the bad lands.
Arms threshed wildly to and fro. The
local point of their destination was the
figure at the center of the disturbance.
Most Of the blows found other marks
Four or five men could have demol-
ished Clay. Fifteen or twenty found 1t
tough job because they interfered
with each other at every turn. They
were packed too close for hard hitting.
Clay was not fighting but wrestling.
He used his arms to push with rather
than to strike blows that counted.
The Arizopan could not afterward
remember at exactly what stage of the
proceedings the face of Jerry Durand
impinged itself on his consciousness.
Once, when the swirl of the crowd
flung him close to the door, he caught
a glimpse of it, tight-lipped and wolf.
eyed, turned to him with relentless
malice. The gang leader was taking
no part in the fight.
The crowd parted. Out of the pack
a pair of strong arms and lean broad
shoulders plowed way for a sCme-
what damaged face that still carried
debonair smile. With pantherish
litheness the Arizonan 'ucke a
swinging blow. A moment, and ne was
outside taking the three steps that led
to the street.
Into his laboring lungs he drew de-
Iiciously the soft breath of the night.
1t cooled the fever of his hammered
face, was like an icy bath to his hot
body. little dizzy from the blows
that had been rained on him, he stood
for a moment uncertain which way to
go.
Then again he became aware of
Durand. The man was not alone. He
had with him hulking ruffian whose
heavy, hunched shoulders told of
strength. There was a hint of the
gorilla in the way the long arms hung
straight from the shoulders as he
leaned forward. Both of the men were
watching the cow puncher as steadily
as alley cats do a house finch.
HIS going to pop in about three
seconds" announced Clay to himself.
Silently. without lifting their eyes
from their victim for an instant. the
two men moved apart to take him on
both sides. de chung TO the wall. fore
ing frontal ATTACK. The laugh err had
gone out of his eyes.now. They had
hardened TO pinpoints. This time il
was no amateur horsepIay. he was
lighting for his life. No need to tell
Clay Lindsay that the New York
gangster meant to leave him as good