San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-27

strike the pass. There was loud
| ring and clang of metal, the sharp
crack of snowshOe frame broken
to kindling, and then, Obliterating
both, a wild below of human agony
like that of a mighty grizzly wounded
to death. Ned and Bess had passed
in safety, but Doomsdorf had stepped
squarely into the great bear trap that
Ned had set the evening before.
The cruel jaws snapped with a
clang of iron and the crunch of flesh.
The shock, more than any human
frame could endure, hurled Doomsdorf
TO his knes; yet SO mighty was his
physical stamina that he was able TO
retain his grip ON his rifle. And the
instant that he went down Ned turned,
leaping with savage fury to strike out
his. hated life before he could rise
again.
He was upon him before Dooms-
dorf could raise his rifle. As he
sprang he drew his knife from its
sheath, and cut white path through
the gathering dusk. And now their
arms went about each other in final
struggle for mastery.
Caught though he was in the trap,
Doomsdorf was not beaten vet. He
met that attack with incredible power.
His great hairy hand caught Ned's
arm as it descended, and though he
could not hold it, he forced him to
drop the blade. With the other he
reached for his enemy's throat.
This was the final conflict; yet of
such might were these contestants. SC
terrible the fury of their onslaughts,
that both knew at once that the fight
was one of seconds. These two mighty
men gave all they had. The fingers
clutched andf closed at Ned's throat.
The right hand of the latter, from
which the blade had fallen. tugged a.
the pistol butt at Doomsdorfs hols
ter.
Bess leaped in, like she-wolf in
defense of her cubs, but one great
sweep of DoomsdOrf'S arm hurled her
unconscious in the snow. There were
to be no outside forces influencing
this battle. The trap at D0omsdorf's
foot was Ned's only advantage: and
he had decoyed his enemy into it by
his own cunning. 1t was man to man
at last; cruel war settled for good
and all.
1t could endure but an instant more.
Already those iron fingers were crush
ing out Ned's life. SO closely matched
were the two foes. so terrible their
strength. that their bodies scarcely
moved at all each held the other in
an iron embrace, Ned Juggling with his
left hand at the fingers that clutched
his throat. DoomsdOrf trying to pre-
vent his foe from drawing the pistol |
that he wore at his belt and turning it |
against him.
1t was the last war; and now it had |
become merely question of which |
would break first. They lay together |
in the snow. utterly silent. motionless. |
for all human eyes could see. their |
faces white with agony. I, cry muscle |
exerting its full. terrific pressure. Ever
Doomsdorf's fingers closed more tight
ly at Net's throat; ever Ned's right
hand drew slowly at the pistol at
Doomsdorfs belt.
Neither the gun nor the strangling
fingers would be needed in moment I
more. The strain itself would soon
shatter and destroy their mortal
hearts. The night SCENE. to be falling I
before Ned's eyes; his familiar. snowy
world was dark with the nearing sha-
dow of death. But the pistol was free
of the holster now. and he was trying
TO turn it in his hand.
1t took all the strength Of his re-
consciousness to exert last.
vital ounce of pressure. Then there
was curious low sound, muffled and
dull as sounds heard in dream. And
dreams passed over him. like waves
over water. as he relaxed at last,
breathing in great sobs, in the red
dened drifts.
Bess. emerging into consciousness.
crawled slowly toward him. He felt
the blessing of her nearing presence
even in his half-sleep. But Doomsdorf.
their late master. lay curiously inert.
his foot still held by the cruel jaws
of iron. A great beast-of-prey had
fallen in the trap; and the killer-gun
had sped bullet. ranging upward and
SCATTERING his wild heart.
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