The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-01-18

II was unfortunate for the poet Of
bohemia that ut this precise moment
Kitty Mason. dressed in sandals aud u
iinc-pafferned snOck. stood before
hili with tray of cigarettes asking
Tor MS trade. The naive appeal In her
soft eyes had Its weight with the poet.
! Whit In the use of living In Bohe,nin
" one cannot be free TO follow I'M
pulsef 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 poe,
wrs instantly avenged.
cosmic Urge beat In the veins of
the snvage from Arizona. He took the
poets 'vice and followed his LAW
less Impulse where II led. Across the
ta''e long arm reached. Sia,wy
III GERS closed upon the flowing neck
weir OF the fat-faced ornte- and
'hagged him forward. leaving over
turned glnsses In the wake of bis
course.
The man In velveteens met the eyes
Of the energetic manhandle, and
quailed. This brown-faced barbarian
looked very much like business.
Don't yJu touch me. Dunt son
dare touch me !" the APOSTLE of anarchy
shri.ied as the iable crashed down
III tnln you over to the ,,siica!"
Clay jerked him to his feet. Hard
knuckles pressed cruelty lmto the soft
throat Of the yillager. "Git down on
yore ham bones al. beg the lady's par.
don. Tell her you're yellow pup. bur
you don't reckon you'll ever pull
bone like that again."
The companions of the poet rushed
forward TO protest ut the manhantllng
Of their lender. Those In the rear
jammed the front ones close To Clay
and his captive. The COW pun. her
gently but strongly pushed rem back.
Don't get on the prod" he advised
In his geni;u drawl. ''rhe poet he's got
an important engagement right now"
A kind OF scuffle developed. The pro
prtetor Increased Ii by his hysterical
Efforts to prevent any trouble. Men
lined 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 nj the
cow puncher over the heads of those
about him. The mass Of closely packet
human beings showed u convulslve nc
tlvity. II became suddenly the most
popular indooi sport nj the Sea Siren
to STAY this barbarian from the desert
who had interfered with the am,lse-
ments Of Bohemia.
But Clay took lot of sluying. In
the rough and-tumble life 0f the ont.
door West he had learned how TO look
our for l.ls own hand. The COPPER
hair of his strong lean head rose above
the Jungle of the melee like the bro
midic Helmet of Navarro. 4 reckless
light OF mirth hubbed IN HE dare.
devil eses. The very number of the
opponents who lnterfered with each
other trying 10 get at him was giinr-
antee of safety. The blows showeled
AT him lacked steam and were buddy
timed as to distance.
The pack rolled across the room
tipped over table, and deluged nm
artist and his affinity with hot cloco-
late before they could escape from the
avalanche. Chairs went err like
linepins. Stands collapsed. Men gr,int-
ed and shouted advice Girls screamed
The Sea Siren wns being wrecked BY Il
cyclone from the bad lands.
Arms threshed wildly to AMI fro. The
local point Of their destination was the
figure II; the center of the disturbance.
Most of the blows found other marks.
-Four or five men could have demol-
ished Clny. Fifteen or twenty found II
Il tough job because they interfere,l
with ench other mt every turn. They
were packed too close for hard hitting.
Clay was not fighting but wrestling.
lie used his arms to push with rather
than 10 strike blows that c. Infe,l.
The Arizoran could not afterwarl
remember at exactly what stage of the
proceedings the face of Jerry rnrand
impirgsd itself on his consciousness.
Once, when the swirl OF the crowd
flung him close to the door. he caught
a glimpse OF It. tisht-lippcd and wc.f.
eyed. turned to him with RELENTLESS
malice. The gang leader was takin.
no part In the fight.
Tie crowd parted Uut Of the pack |
n pair OF strong arms and lean brsld |
shoulders piowed u way for II scme-
what damaged face that still carried |
u debonair smile. With pantllerisll
litheness the Arizonan 'ucKe a
swinging blow A moment, and Il. was |
outside taking the lhreo steps that led |
10 the street.
Into his luboring lungs he drew de. |
liciously the soft breath of the night. !
Ii cooled the fever If his hammered
face, WAS like an Icy bath to his hot
body. A little dizzy from the blows
that had been rained ON him. he stood |
for u moment uncertain which way to
go.
Then again he became aware of |
Durand. The man was not alone. He |
had With him hulting ruffian whose |
heavy, launched 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 eats do u house finch.
HIS going to pop In about three |
seconds" announced Clay to IN .aself |
Silently, without lifting their ewes
from their victim tor an instant. the |
two men moved apart to take him I'M |