The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-01-02
CHAPTER lV-Continued.

Eyes, them's mighty fine senti-
ments," cut the thin edged voice OF
the postmaster across the silence-and
the dream dissolved in the fisherman's
eye-"an' mostly agrees with 'em an
says amen to 'em, an the new parson
may be all 'e's cracked up to be, but
still 1 amt takin' back nothin'"
Zeke's thin voice ceased, lost some
where In the cavernous labyrinth OF
his sharp, inquisitive nose.
Uncle Nick prodded down the con-
tents Of his pipe with his finger and
smoked while in silence. Taking the
stem from between his lips after a
time, he blew the smoke away, slowly.
a. If to get the full taste of it. and
waved the pipe across toward the
postmaster-a well understood prelimi-
nary to a renewal of the argument.
At the moment Loge Belden took a
gulp from his bottle of squirrel" put
the cork in, slapped 1t tight and
slouched up along the counter.
Say, I'd just like t put one t that
This evenin' as 1 come up the River
road past this hyur Warhope home
stead an Slime Collins house, l stopped
q little bit on the bridge acrost Eagle
run an happened t look over in the
orchid b'twixt OIL Shines an the par
sonage. Y'u know theirs a spring
along the crick thar under the edge o.
the hill, an TIERS a bench t set on
under the maple tree by the spring.
"Well, as l come a-past, thar set this
hyur new parson an that Texie gal
on that bench, an as near as could
make out, bein' purity well along
tow'rds dark, he had is arm around
'er. You fellers r wastin' a lot O.
breath on that gal. 1 low the par
SON"
The room suddenly was deadly STILL
with every eye turned toward the door.
Belden felt the stiffness; hesitate6;
turned
In the open door. framed in sharp
outline against the dark background
of the nightfall. stood the tall form
of Jack Warhope.
Belden grinned oddly; muttered a
word or two; leaned against the coun-
tel. and looked down at the floor.
With the reach and spring that only
the woods and hills can give, Warhope
walked into the room.
II low y'u must "a been mistook
about that-arm."
"Not a d-u bit"
Like lightning came the sharp
smack of an open hand that famed
Belden's head back. He leaped away
fIom the counter and struck-e good |
suashIng swing, clean from the hip:
b,t 1t didn't land.
1t was apparent that Belden had a |
high opinion of his ability as a rough |
and tumble fighter. for he stepped |
right in and mixed 1t fast and furi
ous-the whirlwind give and take of |
the mountains. The man he faced
ducked or sidestepped or dashed aside
everything Belden had, and came back
with an occasional jab that was mad
dening.
Belden lost his temperate mistake
Of many a better man-and lunged
viciously. He ran into an uppercut to
the chin that doubled him back over a
barrel of salt. He whirled up. and
his right hand clawed the butt of a
pistol out of his pocket
The pistol came out, but that was
Ill. A heavy six-gun leaped from the
side. bullet crashed into
he pistol QUIT, gashed Belden's hand
'lightly and tore on into the salt
,arrel
The woodsman stuck the six-gun
Jack into the holster at his hip. hid [
len by his hunting blouse, snatched
3elden by the collar and jerked him
'ut Into the middle Of the 1oor.
y low ~ must "a ban mistook {
bout that arm"
0A2dA1u nurall hAady ayoa burned