Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-04

i'll front of the Eagle Hotel. This,
not merely because the Eagle Hotel
was its goal, but because the local
driver stopped the groaning machine that he
might have n more carelree view of a fist fight
which was raging right industr!ously in the
dead center O. Ws!bridgc's dusty square.
The driver gazed avidiy at the two giants who
were pummeling and gougEg and kicking each
other amid a cloud OF rec clay dust. He knew
both fighters. To him the fight thus had keen
personal import.
The cars four passengers eyed the contest
as Albert Einste;n might view q backward
primary school child's struggle with the multi
phcation table. Heber Denning, the manager;
Con RearGon, his star middleWeiellt; Joe Devine
and Spike Cronan, the two handlers, would not
have given second glance to such ANA
flourish exhibition, were it not for certain added
features which strewej the bout: The aforesaid
efforts OF kicking and at gougng, as well as
other mountaineer war tactics which had q GER
tain lure OF novelty to these four ring experts.
A S they looked. sght-built man barely Of
~ middle height came sprinting lightly across
the square, and Glove his way with entire ease
through the tight circle Of idlers around the
space in whose middle the two gladators bat
tied.
In between the two jumped the newcomer,
as though to play the peacemaker. But in al
most the same set OF gestures he knocked one
after the other OF them neatly Off their feet
with a single blow to the jaw Of EACH Blind
other only to drop again to earth. this tine
more heavily.
Heber Denning caught his breath. Here was
shabby mountaineer who hit with a quiet per-
lection that few pugilsts could equal Con
Reardon grinned with sudden appreciation Of
the interloper's proves.
who in blue blazes is that felle-?" demanded
Reardon.
That's JEFF Marshall" proudly answered the
hired cars driver "The one they call The
very strong man. Kwasnd,' whatever that
means. Avis Kent (shes our new school
teacher) give him that funny name; got it out'n
book OF potry. The boys picked it up and
they call it to jeff
But Denning and Con Reardon were not
listening. On tacit dual impulse they were
making Tor the group a. md the PROSTATE
SluggerS. They pierced the clump of spectators
just one Of the fallen men was sitting up and
as the other opened his eyes and blinked owl
1Shly at his assailant
If ida knowed it was you, Jefr." began the
sitter. I'D never Of"
well, you know it's me now, the two of you"
1nterposed the slight man. And there's some
thing more for both of you to know: When
get down of the stage minute ago, Randall
tells me you quarreled because both of YOU
wanted to be the one to take Miss Kent to the
dance tomorrow night; me not being expected
back till day after. Well, you're neither one
OF you going to take her to that dance And
you're not going to quarrel over her. either
man in this county off quarreling terms about
her. Shes my girl. Don't make me teach that
TO you any harder'n I've just had to-"
The harangue delivered with no hint of
buster. few of its longer words were pro-
nounced with evident carefuness as though
newly acquired. Indeed, the speakers diction
and English were markedly better than those
OF the other Walbridge denizens whom Denning
had heard during his few minutes in the VII
lage.
Without much as waiting to see how his
Grafton might be taken by his two victims JEFF
Marshall strolled out of the circle and toward
the far corner of the square. Denning fell into
step with him.
Excuse me, friend" began the manager, but
you sure packed some punch"
YES" assented Marshall carelessly at al
ways cid. I was born that way. Some is
are-born with music in them and some are
born artists and the like, so the school teacher
here tells me- She says was born like Sam
son. She says there's every now and then a
Samson born. One of them was in a poem
by Mister Longfellow. A poem called .IIia-
watha.' and she read part Of it aloud. when
she was giving me schooling, evenings. The
very strong man, Kwasind, his name was.
He was an Indian. And he was stronger than
the other redskins, just as I'm stronger than
the folks hereaboutS. Stranger I'D here amt
aren't-you?" he finished
lives. My name is Denning. I manage q
string of fighters. I was on my way to
our new training quarters near Louisville with
Con Reardon and a couple of roustabouts when
our train hit washout, below Sparta. char
tered a car and We came on, over the noun
tains. We're stopping at the Eagle Hotel for
lunch may be wrong about you; but don't
often make that kind Of blunder, I think
can shape you into fighter. Want to sign
with E1ep"