| Show arr M afla am rr IT 1 andun r by HAROLD HARO LD TITUS copyright 1931 1934 harold titus service SYNOPSIS ben elleott from yonder arrives at t the little lumbering town of accompanied by don stuart old very ick roan mail whom ho he has befriended ile ho of Ignall gna lizes zes his coming by defeating bull duval king ot of the river and town bully in a log birling contest nicholas brandon the towns leading citizen resents stuarts presence ho he tries to force him to leave town and elliott El llott resenting the a act knocks him down elliott Is arrested ile he finds a friend in judge able armitage the judge hires him to run the one lumber camp the hoot owl that brandon has not been able to grab this belongs to dawn daughter of Bran brandona dons old partner who has disappeared with a murder charge hanging over his head CHAPTER ill III continued 5 without stopping even for his cap ben stepped out and crossed cros seil to the mens camp lie ile did not burst into the place but opened the door casually and slipped inside in the center of the room close by the heating store above which socks hung from drying racks stood bull duval ills his cap was tilted on his head bead he be leaned backward from ills his hips in liis ills uplifted right hand was a quart whisky bottle nearly full and ills his voice bel bellowed loved the words of a woods classic in the far end of the room a half dozen men were huddled from several upper bunks concerned faces watched the bull the men were clearly afraid certain that this hilarity was only a prelude to a melee in which heads would be broken and bodies bruised the swaying of dugals body as he moved to the measure of the ballad brought him facing the doorway ben elliott stepped forward two or three paces and stood watching him ills his gaze was steady and in his ees danced a warning flame the alie null bull broke short his song good day mister elliott El llott lie said heavily in mock respect 1 I heerd beerd you was wag th new boss at hoot bunot owl and likely youre lookin fer good men heres one elliott heres th best man get a chauca to hire until th next nest blue snow ben heedless of the increased tension which showed on the faces of the onlookers crossed the floor slowly I 1 you want to bork ork for me duval he be asked think I 1 come over to spark you the other countered insolently alave ilave a drink lie extended the bottle holding it in ibis great hand band grinning at ben in the first place I 1 dont want to you elliott said in the second theres no hooch allowed in this camp scamp ue ile snatched the bottle swung and sent ent it crashing against the stove for a brief moment the hiss of its contents against scorching metal had the place while the bulls head thrust slowly forward and his small eyes grew red with nirh rage ills lip drew back exposing yellow teeth W will III you walk out duval ben asked or do you want ibe me to throw you through the door throw me out duval cried thick ly throw me out why kid th best day you eier seen you ile he got just that far in his boast ills his hands had knotted into great fists his body swayed but before he could strike that first blow or fall into that initial clinch or carry out whatever plan of attack had formed in his truculent mind knuckles bashed into his lips driving the words back into li his I 1 s teeth it was a hard blow with everything een ben elliott had from knuckles to ankle put behind its drive the savagery with which he struck threw ben off of his own balance but hard as he had hit quick as he had been the blow was not enough to put duval down lie he closed with a roar one great arm clamped about alliotts elliotts Ell Elli lotts otts waist tile other hand smearing across alliotts elliotts Ell Elli lotts otts face slicing bens lead bead backward as the fingers sought the eyes ben twisted away from that menace of gouging bt fc trained rained against that crus crushing bing embrace and struck hastily with both hands but the bulls chin was inas safe against his own shoulder his forehead burrowing into alliotts elliotts Ell Elli lotts otts chest tor for protection and not until ben lifted ills his knee with a drive like that of a piston did duval let go ile he reeled backward baik baLk ward then cursing fa articulately panting and heaving forward again from ills his spiked stance on the tough rough floor as he be struck with all ills might ills blow went home a stin stinging glug crushing crashing impact on bens check bone bode and dugals great weight followed bearing the other to the floor tat lat on his bis back the bull spread arms nud and legs la in a smothering sprawl as lie he went down but before he be could pin ben close and helpless be was wriggling threshing over eluding a liand which clawed for ills throat grasping dugals leg lifting straining finally throwing him oft off lurching to ills knees and then got to his feet pitching forward off balance as he ran and coming to a halt against the bunks ile ie faced about sharply to see duval standing blood on ills his mouth bent beat for ard arms hooked and extended like nomo mane great jungle creature stirred to willing killing fury elliott did not try to elude him with a grunt he charged head down one arm before his face ace the other drawn back and when he struck the sound was like that of a club on a quarter of beef the blow spun duval halt half about and the next rocked him he eie grappled for ben but ben was gone one he rushed for ben but den ben sidestepped and struck duval as he lurched past the bull gave up trying to close ile he struck out now with renewed savagery as they stood toe to toe for a moment lie ile dodged a brace of drives which it seemed would have felled a horse so great was the effort behind them and then felo feinting ting sent seat in a slashing uppercut the great fist landed squarely on the point of bens jaw lifted him from ills his feet and sent him reeling clawing the air over on ills his back again elliott was dazed by that blow bells clanged thunderously in ills his ears arid and lights flashed and flickered dickered before his eyes but as ho he crashed down to the floor door bird eyes voice shrill and frantic cut through the tog fog that had folded oner him th boots I 1 th boots boots yes dull bull duval did not fling himself on his prostrate adversary this time erect he strode forward two measured paces three and on the fourth he bent backward from the hips lifted his right toot foot and raked it out him those splices spikes in the sole straight at the face of ills his fallen adversary cut but ills his river boot only swung across the place where a face had been one lone spike ripped the skin over the cheek bone a companion left a bright red trace ben had jerked ills his heart head sideways moved it that quarter inch which left his face still a face and not a mass of raw flesh ribbons doial teetered teet ered on ills his left foot hopping for balance and cursing because he had missed as ben reeling to ills his feet shouted sli keep out my fig fight lit lie ile had seen as he came erect birdee bird ee eie blaine leap for the wood box bos and grasp the heavy iron poker my fl he repeated and ills his hoarse voice was commanding ni birdeye bird eye fell back clinging to ro the poker lips moving it was alliotts elliotts Elli otts tight light indeed ile he had bad seen many men light before had birdeye bird eye blaine born to tn a rough frough life he lad lived it fully ile he had bad seen countless battles but never had he witnessed such a fury as den bru elliott loosed then lie drove out with both fists heedless le of defense blind to dugals counter offensive lie ile shouted as asbe he struck lie ile used a knee to break another hold he bit lien hen duval tried to throttle him with the grip of both hands lie ile danced as the bull sought to trample 5 1 I Z the bull gave up trying to close ills his feet with his river calks balks and nil all the time lie he was striking again and again his hard bard knuckles found their mark A bench went over ns as they waltzed into it their combined weight crashing in against the bunks as duval tried desperately to clinch again smashed an upright and sent men in the upper deck scurrying dust rose thickly the sink was ripped from its place ns as een ben droe the cull bull into it with a body blow and a chair was wrecked as duval caught by another punch went over it bac backward kiNard with a crash een ben stood still spread legged breathing hard hands swinging in a swift of rage get up I 1 lie he panted got get up ive only started I 1 duval rolled oer ON er his back to elliott El llott and shoved himself to his feet not until lie he had risen and faced about did the other move theo then he closed with another of those flying dying rushes with one drive pinned duval against the wall with another sent his head crashing against the window frame the bull gave a bubbling roar and tried to grapple ills hands were struck down ile he swung mightily slowly and missed and as he be went by off balance balanc 6 a chopping stroke on oil the back of the head bead floored him again elliott waited get cupl he cried thickly get up duval and take the rest t the other started to move looking over his shoulder with one eye that remained open lie ile saw a tall supple stipple young man hair awry shirt ripped open from neck to belt cheek bleeding jaws set stand there swinging one list as though the knuckles were wild to strike again lie ile sank back to the floor shuddering on that elliott relaxed and moved close enough he be asked sharply prodding the hull bull with a toe of his pae pac duval moaned and shook his head ue lie made as it if to rise again and ben stepped back giving him every chance A no titter arose behind him aldish Il Dish th ih 11 a man cried cut but tile the boss at hoot owl would not do that lie ile a kod no odds tile the cull bull did not get to ills his feet feel ile he started to drew one knee beneath him leaved heaved and then sank back to a hip ile he swore heavily and hung ills his head propping his torso by both great hands spread ide on the floor through duval den ben asked and it seemed as though his bis bruised and battered face tried to twist in a grin the other gave no Ind intimation mation of having heard theres more on tap or have you got enough and then x w lien hen no reply came elliott stooped grasped the bulls shirt in his hands and halt half lifted him let go the man blurted let go or ill lie ile tried to twist away tried to strike bens legs but ills strength was gone beaten from his great body lie ile was dragged across the floor river boots trailing over the boards straight to the doorway with one foot elliott kicked open the portal and with a heave flung duval the tincup terror into the trampled snow outside A half hour later bull duval who hadia had washed shed ills his bleeding head bead and face in the horse trough against the shouted protests of birdeye bird eye blaine that it would bould lie be unfit thereafter for his teams to drink from shoved shored himself erect and wiped trembling hands on ills his mackinaw the door of the van opened and elliott emerged ile he walked straight to the bully and examined his visible injuries critically fair job he said as though to himself and grinned A fair job duval dural but remember tills this if you ever set one of your feet in this camp again or on any operation where here im in charge ill glie ghe you a licking remember I 1 the bull whimpered 1 I know when I 1 got enough 11 lie he salil said and ills his one serviceable yet yer bloodshot blood shot eie searched Elli elliotto elliotts otts countenance 1 I I 1 mean no harm he wh whined ineil 1 I was drunk no you drunk if been drunk I 1 have hit you you knew what you were doing now duval rhyd you come out here this morning who sent you duval looked away nobody he said weakly 1 I got drunk but but if 1 youre necil ln a man I 1 can work for a better man than I 1 am ben shook ills his head no use chum youre going to tell me eliy you came and who sent you was it brandon no evasively sure how much did he give you to come here or are you on the payroll to do such chores 11 II 11 1 he be youre a worse liar than aou ou are a fighter by a mile or two duval mine was a good guess it what were his orders well he said it if I 1 that hed good all I 1 want to know theres I 1 the road and you can take this little message with you to brandon tell him th that at lie needs to send more and better men here the next nest time and as for you I 1 hire no men who can be hired to light fight another mans battles make tracks duval it was a week later old don stuart propped on pillows in the narrow cell like ille room of joe irettes hotel listened to the colorful account that birdeye bird eye blakne with many gestures and considerable profanity faril ty rendered for him of what had transpired nt at hoot owl since ben elliott had taken charge of the opera tion lion 1 nd so 60 iles hes got th fit will mill crew a currun their blessig heads oft off for him nd s got that chut ragged pants gang av beet v coders beeders rid nd hay pitchers passes ter fer a logg loggan in crew loin doin moren eair belr doue done lu in their lazy bolves before I 1 good gasped stuart feebly and tried to smile good boy but lies hes young and alone against brandon be that hard nut he was loolen for nar Ilar rd birdeye bird eye glared at him th harader they come th bettor better pleased lie Is sure rid nd hes a clutten for fer work dannyl nd ind th saints they have a finger into ut too him a comin just valdu got pore bowld able licked be a tough folget or im a bad guesser but d n me eyes what a th lad ls Is A restless light appeared la in dons eyes and ills his thin old hands fidgeted nervously with the blankets A llala oil oh he dont know birdeye bird eye what hes up against lie ile struggled to sit erect and hla his eyes shone brightly with an odd sort of 0 desperation it if brandon cant drive him out one way or another hell kill him ne he gasped and sn allowed evidently making a great effort to talk rapidly im a coward birdeye bird eye been a d n coward for years ive boon been afraid to tell while I 1 lived now im afraid to die with it on my soul ile he panted and blaine looked in alarm at ills his friend as these last words word tool took on oil significance for him lay back donny darnt git yer self excited by coward naw yore yere no coward ile he grasped the sick man by the shoulders and tried gently to force him back on the pillows but the old fellow resisted cant die cant with it on my soul I 1 he be ga gasped P ed and q el 1 A V ell get paper lifted a face stamped with strange appeal to the little man birdeye bird eye stood back solemn and worried scratching ills head So something methin troubling lin ye donny he asked soothingly the other made a feeble gesture with one hand A mans got to fl fight ht fire with fire Brandon ll g get et I 1 him unless he unless ne ile put a hand to his throat arid and aeao moed ed hla his uplifted chin from side to side as though strangling want to write a letter eird mye get paper fight fire with fire tills this was obviously no whim him of a sick man ills necessity was not cl clear mr to blaine but the other knew old don was gripped by a burning conviction arid and hastened to ease his mind lay back donny be still now bowl ill get ye things lings ti but kape quiet mon kape kape quiet 1 saints but ie upset a mon car carrein caroyln carry ln on so ye do ile he hurried down the stairs secured writing materials and from the table in the little office picked up a mallor mailor mall mail or dearhouse derli der house ouse catalogue with these he ascended to the sick room again taking the steps two at a time bere ye arel are book to drolte on paper tm llope penell pencil ill sit by ye donny stuart did not nor start to write at once lie ile sat staring straight before him in quandary and then lifted his gaze |
