The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-08-30
CHAPTER III
Tho Invasion Of Lettie.

The Invasion Of Lettie.
Haying delivered the final order n,
groceries for the day, Crink Penleld
varied monotony by taking new
route home, and was rewarded by
sight that made him stop suddenly
and catch his breath with Joy. In a
large lot, where he distinctly remem-
bered a tenement house, there was
pnly an enormous heap of debris.
"Cracky" murmured Crink. WANT
that a grand fire? Here's where get
busy"
He hid his basket behind a mass
Of shattered masonry and plunged
into exploration of the highest mound
of ashes. Crink lived the life of sal
wage. A bit Of human wreckage him
self, he had an unfailing attraction
for all the material wreckage that
came within range. Young as he was,
the boy was an expert with bent
piece of iron, flicking scrap heaps for
those fragments which have been
thrown out, not because their useful
ness is exhausted but because their
owners have been lacking in ipgenu-
lty. Even as Mrs. Penfield had res
cued him, so had he in turn rescued
countless bits of wood and cloth. iron
and tin. and pulled them back into
the field of service.
Squirming to the top of the mass,
Crlnk discovered an incredible piece
Of luck, the wheel Of dismembered
sewing machine. He grabbed it, but
at the same moment another hand
also grabbed-a small, thin hand. A
pair Of bright black eyes confronted
Crink, the eyes Of girl about his own
age who had been conducting a series
Of Investigations of her own from the
rear of the lot.
Hey, leggo there" cried Crink.
"Leggo yourself" retorted the girl.
"Shan't. I got here first"
you didn't neither. II you had.
you'd ha' taken It, wouldn't your
For moment the boy was stag
sered. He had been prepared for ac-
ton. but not for reasoning, and the
latter had driven him into a corner
where speech would merely weaken
his cause.
By quick NOV ement Crink lifted
the wheel. but the girls counter-pull
Hoped 1t back again with a smart
whack that sent a cloud of ashes into
me air. The contestants gulped,
coughed, ignominlously sneezed,
glared at each other with reddened
eyes but with no diminution of will.
Now look here" began Crink, in a
voice Intended to be terrible, "you
amt gaining nothing. This here
wheels mine"
Prove it. why don't you? Rummy-
dummy"
"Gosh." he writhed. HQuit calling
names, you little fighting devil"
Now you got my number" she re-
turned. Just you make me one bit
madder, and I'll show you"
How'll you show meY
Ill punch you into purgatory.
Huh! You couldn't"
Could, too"
couldn't. neither"
Could, too" With shrek, she
hited one hand and landed light
nlhg blow on Crinkfs right cheek.
want me to pick your gizzard outT
There seemed to be so much pos
soility behind this question that
Orink freed one hand and struck into
me girls neck. With the yell of
'ortured demon, she doubled both fists
snd lighted into him with a quick rain
OF blows. Her lean arms proved as
srong as steel, her knuckles like
harp twists of metal; and her skill
was not a matter for dispute. On the
instant. Crink abandoned the wheel
and devoted himself to methods of de-
tense
hicking. striking, choking. they
oeat and scratched, pushed and
pulled, clawed and twisted. slipping
IN the ashes, stumbling over charred
alh and Jumps of plaster. till they
ianded down in the grass in an angry
snari. Picking themselves up, they
siared at each other through breath
,ess moment, their hard young bodies
intact, their hard young spirits uncon-
quered.
orlnk was conscious Of an unwel-
.o'ne feeling of respect for his an
asonist. She was no larger than he
smaller. If anything but, golly.
couldn't aha btk o,.k,