The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-08-06

Case" Ben said, "this is crook
ed town full of buns. I can make
any of 'em run. There amt white
man in the place."
Kern Case said: "That window
pane will cost you six bits"
"Charge it on the account"
"What account?"
"My beef account" said Heren-
deem. "Your friends keep you pref
ty well supplied, don't they? If I
had a couple men to block off this
damned joint I'd go through these
rattletrap buildings and drag
Breathitt out by the back of the
neck. He's here"
Kern Case walked around the
counter. He started to speak, but
Morgan waved him back. May
be-" Morgan said to Herendeen.
"By God" shouted Herendeen,
"I'm going to drive you out!"
"Ben," said Morgan, II guess I'd
better leave my mark on you as /
did once before"
He was still by the stove, glance
pinned to the butt of Herendeen's
gun. Immediately afterwards, Her
endeen's hand came away from it
and Herendeen's boots seemed to
crush into the floor as he jumped
forward.
Bringing up his arms, Morgan
realized he had his own chance to
draw-and refused the chance. He
started to move away from the
stove as Herendeen's whole bulk
swept at him; and stopped to smoth-
er Herendeen's fists as they drove
in. He knocked the blows aside, no
more. Herendeen's onrushing body
caught him and drove him against
the stove. He slid along the edge
of the stove, falling backward. Her
endeen hit the stove. Both of them
dropped behind it, Morgan bringing
up his knees and beating the wind
out of Herendeen's belly. Her.
endeen sprawled aside. The stove
had gone down and the pipe began
to fall in disjointed sections, sitting
warm SCOT on them. Rolling half
around, Morgan saw Herendeen
push himself half erect to come at
him. He doubled his legs and shot
them out and caught the big man
full in the face with the sharp heels
of his boots. He rolled again and
was up.
Herendeen lifted himself from the
floor, dashing a hand across his face
to scrub the bright quick blood on
his cheeks. Morgan's sharp heels
had chopped the flesh of Heren-
deems lips; one raw strip hung
down, redly swaying over his mouth.
The impact momentarily drugged
him, it took him off his guard. Nor
gan moved in. He punched a fist
into the wide, hard pit of Heren-
deems stomach, watched Heren-
deems arms fall, and hit him again
in the soft neck flesh. Herendeen's 5
face showed sudden pallor and he
eswayed little, MINDLESS and
shocked.
Morgan drove his aimed blows
at the huge jaw, hooking his
punches up against the long
shelving chin.
Herendeen dropped his head and
Morgan, missing his target, smashed
his knuckles on that rocky-hard poll
and felt pain knife along his left
arm; it was a sudden agony that
made him suck in his wind. He
caught the dulling of Herendeen' S
eyes; he had this man half knocked
out-and the old, violent, savage in
stinct rushed him in until he was at
close quarters, trying for the kill.
It was a mistake. Herendeen's S
great outsweeping arms caught him
in a bears grip and drew him in,
crushing his ribs. Morgan's arms,
thus held, could reach nothing; he
pulled himself backward, seeking to
break the grip, but Herendeen held
on, weatheripg through his punish
ment. Tightening his grip until Nor
gan felt his skin burn and seem to
burst.
He lay on his side, pushing his
arms against the floor but finding no
strength in them. He could move
them but he had no feeling in them.
All this room was gray-black and
Herendeen was a blurred shape
across the room, slowly trudging
forward. He heard Herendeen say
something. though he couldn't make
out the words. Herendeen, coming
nearer, grew taller and broader
above him. Herendeen's foot struck
him solidly at the base of the spine
and this brutality was new
stream of pain along his nerves. Il
moved Morpan around on the floor
loosely as hough be were straw
dummy. He rolled completely over
coming against cracker barrel
Morgan got behind the cracker
barrel. He held to ito top rim and