The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1931-02-05
CHAPTER IIl-Continued

feellnS backward, anu JeemS was at
him with the quickness and passion
of one suddenly transformed by
madness. He had never fought
with another boy. But he knew
how animals claWed and disembow
eled. In hundred ways he had
viewed strife and death as the will
derness knew these things. And
all that he had witnessed, all that
he knew of torture and violence
and the desire to MAIN and kill
gave to his action a character of
such lively ferocity that it drew
howl of. pain from Paul Tache
and shrill little scream from Toi-
nette.
Jeems heard the scream, but it
held no significance for him. His
dreams were gone, and Toinette,
her presence close to him, her eyes
upon the battle just as he had i'm
agined in the thrill of his mental
visionings, was forgotten in the
more vital depths of his interest in
the flesh and blood of Paul. In
the first attack his fingers clutched
like small iron claws in the folds
OF Tache's eravat and coat, and the
rending of cloth, a splitting asun-
der of gorgeous material almost to
the others waist, was evidence Of
the strength behind his assault. He
followed this with a fury of scratch
ing and tearing and both went
down in the melee. When they rose,
Paul, heaving himself up with an
effort which flung Jeems from him
they were such sight of muck
and stain that Toinette forgot her
precious dress and covered her eyes
in horror. But she was looking
again in an instant, for the spec
tacle fascinated even as it appalled,
her. Jeems had landed on his feet
with fist loaded with mud, and
he projected it with an aim so ac-
curate that half of Paul's face was
obliterated by it, and as he leapt
with roar of rage at his smaller
assailant, he was such a shocking
contrast to his usual immaculate
self that Toinette nearly ceased to
breathe. Then she saw and heard
what her feminine eyes and in
stincts could not understand or
keep proper count of, a mad twist
ing and tumbing of bodies pant
ing breaths, grunts, and finally a
clearly audible curse from Paul
Tache. With that sound Jeems
flew backward and landed on his
back.
He was up almost before he had
struck, and with his head ducked
low like a rams in charge, he
hurled himself at Tache. This in
dividual, having cleared his eyes
sufficiently to perceive the blind
ness of the others rush, stepped
aside and swung a well directed
blow which again sent Jeems down
into the muck. His hand filled it.
self with this sticky substance a
second time, and as he returned to
battle he let it fly at Paul. Profit
ing by experience, Paul lodged
skillfully, and the volley passed
over his head, spreading in its
flight, and fell in its communicating
virulence upon Toinette. She saw
her raiment spotted and defiled
and such a sudden fury rose in her
that she sprang upon Jeems as he
clawed and kicked in a clinch with
Paul, and assailed him with all the
strength and bitterness of her small
fists and biting tongue.
Jeems had seen the tragedy of
the misdirected mud, and he knew
that Toinette's hands and not
Paul's were pulling viciously at his
hair. There is a hurt which bears
with it a sting of satisfaction, and
this emotion pressed upon Jeems
as he fought desperately in front
and felt himself attacked PREACHER.
ously from behind For Paul was
accountable for the mishap tc
Toinette. Had the other not dodgeC
in a cowardly fashion, allowing the
stuff to pass on to her, the thing
would not have happened. 1t die
not take more than few seconds
for the inspiration of this thought
with its apparent justice and trutl
to fire him with a determination be
side which his former resolution
sank to insignificance. He was NJ
longer fighting for Toinette's ap.
proval, but against her. against
Paul Tache, against all the world
Toinette, pulling at his hair, beat
ing at his back, had raised his
struggle TO epic heights. The
strength of martyrdom filed his
lean arms and body, and he fought
with a renewed fierceness that
made his heavier but softer antag
onist give way before the punish
ment, and both went down to eartt
again. Toinette fell with them, hel
long skirt impeding the activity OF
their legs, her big hat hanging like
a sunshade over her face, her beau
tifully made curls tangled and spot
ted with mud, her hands beating
angrily at whichever of the twc
CHANGED to come in her way.
Jeems was aware of her presence
and physically sensible of her com
bativeness. but in the complexity
of action which surged over and
about him he could afford no dis
elimination in the manner of using
his arms, legs, teeth, and head, anC
at last, finding herself disentangled
Toinette scrambled to her feet con
siderably bruised and in such dis