White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-09-24

anu power WAllo LID dnld6oAAcI Wdo
old Pop Malloy, but with another man
in the game the odds were nearly
even. He could go home and admit
defeat-give up the girl-or he could
dispose of the witness permanently.
He chose the latter course.
His hand dipped into his pocket, and
snapped out again with heavy re-
volver. A fraction of second behind
the movement of Barnes, the hand of
Beaudry went to his hip and drew a
gun; fraction of a second behind
Barnes, he leveled the weapon.
Barnes revolver roared in the small
room. Pierre staggered against the
wall, sank to his knees, and managed
to hold his body upright by clinging
to chair The arm which held his
gun rested over the bottom of that
chair and the muzzle was trained upon
the body of Murdoch Barnes. White
to the lips, Pierre managed to smile.
1--WE are going to kill each other.
Msieu Barnes! Mademoiselle will be
very well rid of you"
Big Bill Hartman, poised upon the
doorstep, knew that this would be
true unless he acted instantly In a
heartbeat of time Bills great tempta-
ton took hold of his soul, and shook it. |
A second more and they would both
shoot. Pierre Beaudry, his really dan
gerous rival, would be dead. No one,
not even Marie, would know that he
had delayed.
Bill Hartman would know it.
That thought sent him over the
threshold with spring that sent him
against the back of Murdoch Barnes
with the force of battering ram. The
big revolver roared a second time, the
bullet ploughed into the floor, and
Barnes brought up against the wall
with thud that shook the house.
Big Bill gave him no time to re-
cover His hands clasped the wrist
that held the gum, and with twist
wrenched it away. Barnes, with his
free hand, drove a binding fist be-
tween his eyes, and Hartman closed
to save himself
For the first time since Bill had
reached maturity, he found his match
in close fighting. His holds slipped
from the thick and sloping shoulders
of Murdoch Barnes; the jolts with
which Bill had finished more than one
battle failed even to stagger this giant,
and he had to defend himself against
every foul known to dirty fighting.
Chairs smashed beneath their feet
the stovepipe fell in cloud of SCOT
Dimly Big Bill saw Marie snatch the
lamp as they swung that way. The
table collapsed like top. They fell,
locked together, and rolled into a cor
ner. Bill spat out mouthful of blood.
He was worried.
Then it was that the nature of Muir
dock Barnes proved his own undoing.
Bill turned his head slightly and
Barnes, freeing an arm, jerked Harri-
mans head down and set his teeth
into an ear. Even while excruciating
pain sent Bill faint and blind, he1
seized his opportunity. Barnes had
lifted his chin little, exposed his
throat Big Bill's fingers dug through
the black whiskers and into the cord
ed throat. They closed up the wind
pipe. They drew closer-thumb al
most met finger
The jaws of Murdoch Barnes I'M
locked. He lay inert unconscious,
upon the floor.
Fifteen minutes later Pierre Beau
dry, his shoulder tightly bandaged, lay
in his bed. On one side of him sat
Jim Malloy, who had arrived in time
to help wind Murdoch Barnes up in
a stout half-inch rope. Upon the bed
sat Bill Hartman, much damaged
upon the surface. Marie, with shining
eyes, stood by the pillows she had
just arranged.
II shall not die this time, my Bill"
whispered Pierre, with faint attempt
at grin. "The good Oh Pop Malloy
here, he want me to make marry with
Marie, Because l am Francois. Me, /
want that also. But know that Marie
have come to love my frien', the Big
Bill. The good Pop will not believe
it. he will not let me tell about this
Barnes. Parbleu! mus watch
alone and save Marie for my frien,
the Big Bill"
Beneath the brown of sun and wind
Marie Malloy grew crimson. The good
Pop, with a hint of brogue and more
than hint of mist in his eyes,
snorted
Next to the Irish and the Frinch
you're all right, Hartman me boy
There's no doubt about your being
fighting man of the first water!"
With one hand Big Bill Hartman
clasped first the hard old palm of his
new friend then that of Pierre; and
at the same time he reached up with
the other to take the little fingers of
Marie and hold them in mighty but
gentle grip.
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