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About The Hardin Tribune-Herald (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973 | View This Issue
The Hardin Tribune-Herald (Hardin, Mont.), 20 March 1925, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/sn86075229/1925-03-20/ed-1/seq-9/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
1111111DAY, MARCIE 20, 1925.. TIM HARDIN TRIBUNIK - RERALD FAGS 1411111 CHAPTER VI—A *able in a flower - planted elearing excites Judith'. admi- ration- It le Lee's. though he does not y so. They are fired en from am- , and Le. wounded. Answering erSte, -- they - Siiilts - for th• cabin. Here ey find Bill Crowdy wounded. Drag- e n t ,t i tim Into th• building they find u the money taken from Judith', let get. Besieged in th• cabin, they aro compelled te stay all night. CHAPTER VII. — Hampton, at the 1 soh. 1)4'4:lames uneasy gt Judith's long sancta With Tommy Burkitt h• goes seek her, arriving in time to drive • attackers oft, and capturing one elan, known as \Shorty.\ CHAPTER VIII.-1111horty\ escapes from imprisonment In the gratnhouse eit the raneh. to th• disgust of Carson. L w foreman, who had him in charge. s, begrime to feel a fondness for Ju- th. thosgh he mollies she is not his Womanly Meal. Marcia Langworthy, one of Hampton's party, typical city Via Is more to his taste. CHAPTER tx.--Th• discovery Is Made that pigeons, with hog shelere germs es their feet, have been liber- ated on the mesh. Lee captures • Stranger, Dick Donley, red-handed. With as aimomplio% • cowboy known lie \Poker Fa...\ Donley has brought twee sitteons to the ranch. CHATTER X.—At a dance Judith give. in honor of Hampton's friends appears In evening dress. Hs is *glazed by one of the party ito an 544 eequalntance. Dave Lee, once thy but ruined by trusting false ado. Judith, in her womanly finery„ es such an appeal to Lee that. 1114elle with her, he forcibly kisses her, reooiviair the rebuk• deserved. CHAPTXX XL—Word is sent to Lee that Quinnion has been casting slurs ett Judith's name beeause of the night she and Lee were together in the cabin. With Carson. Lee finds Quinnion, worets him In a fight and makes him *enrolls publicly he is • 'tar, and agree Se leave the vicinity. CHAPTER XIL—After the kissing incident Judith _ gnors Lee. who woul go sway,but finds himself unable. ju Poflocic from a firm with which Trevors ha d s ea eonnected, offering to buy a large tionsignment of cattle and horses at a ridiculously tow figure. Hampton is add d as \general manager\ of the Blue Lake outfit. Judith Is vaguely un- easy. In her absence Hampton decides to accept the offer. Lee protests , •tronsly. He learns from Marcia Lang- I worthy that Judith l• supposed to hay.' gosie to see her lawyers at Elan Fran- I g soo. A telegram from ' her orders , ampton to sell the stock at the price offered Lee refuses to accept the mes- as(' as coming from Judith, the con- viction forcing itself upon him that Trevors has kidnaped her and is hold- ing her prisoner. cleAPTER XIII.—Lee tells Carson and Hampton of his suspicions. Hamp- ton jeers at the idea. In Judith's room they find • note from Doe. Tripp ask - f* Judith to visit him, as he has been t and cannot come to the ranch. try learn from Tripp he has sot been ort and did not send any •message. *evinced now of Judith'. imminent anger Lee sets out to find her. CHAPTER XIV.—Judith finds herself t0 a save where she has been conveyed 4 or being kidnaped. She knows her uotors are Trevor. and Quinnion. revere gives her In charge of a de- mented woman known as \Mad Ruth.\ td to _, be Quinnion's mother. • trig Quinnion off his /tier& Ju- escapes from the cave. elh• is 'rood to dem:send the mountain, Quin- tiles pursuing and calling to Mad Ruth tercept her at. the bottom of the : 2t Reg APTIOR XV.—Judith drops op mad . partially stunning her, sad gets away safely. With the one metal% she aeseesses eh• lights a beacon fire and sinks to sleep, utterly exhausted. CHAPTER XVL—Rud Lee and • for. ▪ ranger find her, almost at the limit of her endurance. Reproaching him- ealf for his Impulsive action In kisitna her. Judith admits the salute wee not 6 weloome. Leaving her with Marcia the ranch. Lee decides It Is up to m to have an Interview with Tre- 'e's. CHAPTER XVII 14to and Old Man Carson Ride Together liked Lee, riding alone toward the Western Lumber camp. turned in his saddle to glance back as he heard bood•beats behind him. It was Carson, mad this old cattleniall was riding hard. IL** frowned. Then for an In- vtant smile softened his stern eyes. \Good little old ()arson,\ he mut- Delightful Tale of the West Judith of Blue Lake Ranch 14 JACKSON GREGORY This i.e western story with some new touches. The scene is one of those great modern ranches where not cattle alone, but all kinds of live stock are produced and diversified agriculture le practiced. Synopals CHAPTER 1.—Bud Lee, hers* fore- taste at the Blue Lake ranch, con- =e ed Rayn• Trevor., manager, is de - ntity wrecking the property Worned be Judith Sanford, • young woman, her ciousin. Pollock Hampton. gnd Timothy Gray, decides to throw up his Job. Judith arrives and announces she has bought Gray's share la the Lanett and will run It.. She discharges Trevors. CHAPTER IL—The men on the ranch dislike taking •rders from a girl, but by subduing a vicious horse and proving her thorough knowledge tif ranch lif., Judith wins the best of Mom ever. Lee decides to stay. CHAPTER III.—Convinced her vet- erinarian. Bill Crowdy, is treacherous, fudith discharges him, re-engaging an 5141 friend of her father's, Doe. Tripp. CHAPTER IV.—Pollo e k Hampton. with • part, of friend., 'comes to the ranch to stay permanently. Trevor. Accepts Hampton's Invitation to visit tie ranch. Judith's messenger is held lin and robbed tit the monthly pay roll CHAPTER V.—Bud Lee gees to the seafor more money, getting back earelir with it, though his horse is killed under him. Both be and Judith tete T ' hand in the (trim*. Hog Motlera, hard to account for, breaks out pa the ranch. Judith and Lee. investi- E ting the scene of the holdup, climb mountain, where th• robber must vs hidden. Carson came to his aide, saying merely in tds dry voice: 'Hind If I come aloog, Bud? You sat' me have rid into one thing au' alkother inore'n Just once.\ \This is my fight.\ said Lee coolly. \Who sold It eitsn't1\ dernend•d the other querulously. 'Val.% you ain't got any call to be a hawg Bud. Besides, I got a right to see If there's a fair break, ain't If Say, leek at them cow brutes back yondeg! Don't it beat all how silage, when you use It right. shapes 'em upr Few enough words were said as the miles were flung behind them: few Were needed. A swift glance showed Carson that Lee carried a revolver In his shirt; his own gun rode plainly In evidence In front of his hip. What little conversation rose between them was of ranch matters. They spoke of success now with confidence. These two foremen alone could see the money In late winter and early spring from their cattle and horses to carry the Blue Lake venture over the rap- ids. Then there were the other re- sources of the diversified undertak- ing, the hogs, the prise stock, the olives, poultry, dairy products. And soon or late Western Lumber would pay the price for the timber tract, soon, if they saw that they had to pay it or lose the forests which they had so long counted upon. Lumber., values were mounting every day. Neither man, when it chanced that Bayne Trevors' name was casuelly mentioned, suggested: \Why not go to the law?\ For to them It was very clear that, once in the courts, the man who had played safe would laugh at them. Against Judith's oath that he had kidnaped her would stand Trevors' word that he had done noth- ing of the kind, coupled with his care- fully established perjured alibi and the lying testimony of the physician who had visited Judith in the cave. This man and that might be roundel! up, Shorty and Benny and Poker Face, and if any of them talked—which perhaps none of them would—at most they would say that they had no or+ ders from anybody but Quinnion. And where was Quinnion, who stood as a buckler between Trevors and prosecu- tion? And what buckler in all the world can ever stand between one man and another? Now and then Carson sent a quick questioning glance toward Lee's in- scrutable face; now and then he sighed, his thoughts his - own. Bud --,Lee, knowing his companionna . he did, shrewdly guessed that Carson was hoping that events might so befall that there Would be an open, free-for- all fight and that he might not. be forced to play the restless part of A mere onlooker. Bud Lee hoped otherwise. \There's two ways to get a man,\ said Carson meditatively, out of a long silence. \An' both is good ways: with a gun or with your hands.\ \Yes agreed Bud quietly. \If It works out gun way.\ continued Carson, still with that - thoughtful, half -abstracted look in his eyes, \It don't hurt to remember, Bud, that he shoots left-handed an' from the hip.\ Lee merely nodded. Carson did not look up from the bobbing ears of his horse as he continued: 'If it works out the other way an' it's just fists, it don't hurt to remem- ber how Trevors put out Scotty Webb last year In Rocky Bend. Four -footed style, striking with his boot square in Scotty's belly.\ Trevors' name wag not again - re. !erred to even in the vaguest terms. The road in front of them, at last dropping down into the valley in which the lumber -camp was, straight- ened out into a lane that ran between stumps to the clutter of frame build- ings. \SfifflethIng.dolfig — et—the—ofike, \ of- fered Carson, as they drew Pear. \Di- rectors' meeting, likely.\ Two automobiles stood In the road ten steps from the closed door of the unpretentious shack which bore the printed legend. \Office Western Lum- ber Compeny.\ The big red touring - ear certainly belonged to Melvin, the company's president, Carson looked curiously at Lee. Bud dismounted, dropped his horse's reins, shifted the revolver from his shirt to his belt where it was at once unhidden and loosely held, ready for a quick draw. Then he went up the three Pfeps. Carson at his heel*, his gun also unhidden and ready. From within came voices, one in protest. Bayne Trevors' ringing out, filled with Mastery followed by a laugh. Lee set his hand to the door. Then, only be- muse It was locked from within, did be knock sharply. \Who is itr came the sharp in - airy. But the man who made it and who was standing by the door, threw It open. \What do you want?' he demanded again. \We're busy.\ \I want to see Trevors.\ said Lee coolly. \You can't. He--\ Lee shoved the man aside and Erode on. Carson, close at Loa'. heels, his eyes glittering, stepped a little aside when once he was within the room and took his place with his back against the wall clove to the door. It was • big, bare, barn -like room, furnished simply with one long table and half • dozen chairs. Here were Ave men besides Bayne Trevor*. All except Trevor\ and the man who had opened the door were seated; 'Trevor', at the far end of the room, was stead- fast, an oratorical arm slowly drop- ping to his side. His eyes met Lee's, ran quickly to Carson's, came back to Lee's and rested there steadily. Beyond the dow falling of his extended arm, he Meitot more.: The muscle* of hiss Lase hardened, the look of triumph which just now had stood in his oyes changed slowly and in Its place cams tonasalM~NimuM•Man • n expression that was twin to that is Bad Lee's eyes, just a look of in- scrutability with a hint et watchful- n ess under it, and the hardness of agate. While a man might have drawn a deep breath into his lungs and expelled It, 'wither 1.e, nor Trey on st I -red. \IVitht the clevil la this?\ demanded Mk lviii ttnia tt.•rot.s the t a ble. \Hold. up or what?\ He rapped the table resoundingly. \Shut up!\'.napped Carson. \It's just a two -man play, Melvin: Leo an' Trevors.\ \Oh said Melvin, and sank back, making no further protest. He was no stranger to Carson or to Bud Lee. and he sensed what might lie between Lee and a man like Trevor,. Then. shrugging his shoulders, he said care- lessly: \I'm not the man to get in other men's way, and you know it. t'arson. /nit you miglit tell your friend Bud Lee that Bayne Trevors is rather a big man intioentially to mix thInge with. I've just resigned this morning and Trevor' Is our new president.\' \Thanks returned Carson dryly. \I don't think that'll make much dif- ference though, Melvin. Most likely you'll have two presidents resigning the same day.\ At feet Lee spoke. \Trevors.\ he said quietly, \maybe the law can't ket you. But I can. For reasons which both you and I under- stand you are going to clear - out of this part of the country.\ • • \Am_ Tr asked Trevors. The look of his eyes did not alter, the poise of his big body did not shift, his hands, both at his sides again, might have been carved in bronze. Then suddenly he laughed and threw out iiis arms In a wide gesture and again dropped them, saying shortly: \You're playing the game the way thought you would. You've got a gun. I am unarmed—begin your shooting and he (i—d to you Fle even stepped forward, his eyes fearlessly upon Lee's, and settled his big frame comfortably in a chair by the table. \Go ahead,\ he concluded. \I'M ready.\ , *limes as it should ber•Lee's voice - was vibrant. His hard eyes bright- ened. With a quick jerk he drew the revolver from his belt and dropped It to the floor at Carson's feet. , Carson, though he stooped for it eitiekr - 3 7 , — dIa - nor ATIT - ble witfelifut -eyes from Trevors. For Carson had known more fights in his life than he had years; he knew men, and looked to Trevors for just the sort of thing Trevors did. As Lee stepped forward, Trevors snatched open the drawer of the table at his side, quick as light, and whipped out the weapon which- lay there. \Go slow, Trevors I\ came old Car- son's dry voice, \I've got you Cov- ered already, two -gun style.\ Trevor*, even with his finger crook- ing to the trigger, paused and saw the two guns in Carson's brown hands trained unwaveringly upon him. There was much deadly determination In Carson's eyes. Again Trevors laughed, drawing back his empty hand. \You yellow dog I\ grunted Bud Lee, his tone one of supreme disgust. \Yon d—d yellow dog!\ Trevor\ shrugged. \You see, gentlemen—two to one, With the odds all theirs.\ - - - \You lie!\ spat out Carson. \It's one to one an' I'll see the game goes square.\ He stepped forward, re- moved the weapon from the table un- der Trevors' now suddenly changeful eyes, and went hack to his place with his back to the wall. \Voir_ God's Baker cried the one nervous man in the room, he who had opened the door. \This is murder!\ Melvin smiled, a smile as cheerless as the gleam of wintry starlight on a bit of glass. \Will you fight him, Trevors?\ he asked. \With your hands?\ \Yea answered Trevors. \Yee.\ \Wove back the table,\ commanded Melvin, on his feet in an instant. \And the chairs. Get them hack.\ The table was dragged to the far end of the room; the chairs were piled ppon \Now and Melvin's watch was in his hand, his voice coming with me - tank coldness, \it's to a finish, Is it? Three -minute rounds, fair fighting, no—\ But now at blood was up, kindled, he was lusty. \D—n it.\ he shouted, \whose fight is this but mine and Lee's\? If he wants a fight, let him come and get it; a man's fight and rules and rounds and time be d—d I Am I to dance around here and sidestep and fence just for you to look on?.,., Carson!\ \Welir said Carson. \Lee challenges me doesn't he? Then I'm the man to name the sort of fight. am I not? Is that fair?\ \Meaning just what?\ asked Car- son. \Meaning that I am going to get him, get him any way I can! You let us fight this out our way, any way, and no interference r , \Talk to Bud there.\ rejoined the old cattleman calmly. \It ain't my scrap.* \fllen. Lee.\ snapped Trevor', \come on if you want such a fight as you'd get if you and I were alone In the mountains, with no man to watch. a fight where a man can nee what weapons God gave him, any weapon be con Isiy his mind to, his eye to, beadl-ter Or.\ sae et last the 0 01e, Do You Want Padded Gloves 'and Someone to Fan You?\ last Bayne 'Trevors' his slow anger had moving his feet rest - Don't forget to take in the Thin Without a Country, Mar. 24. _ — 'sneer came, \do you want a pair of padded gloves and somebody to fan your Carson shifted his glance to Bud Lee's face. Lee merely nodded. \Then cried Carson -sternly. \go to It! No man steps in, an' you two can fight It out like coyotes or moun- tain -lions for all of me.\ \Your word there will - be no Inter- ference?\ asked Trevor.. \For you're just a fool and not a liar, Carson.\ \My word,\ was the answer. Bayne Trevors slipped out of his coat and vest, tossing them to the pile of chairs on the table. He loos- ened his soft shirt -collar and was ready. All of Bud Lee's simple prep- arations had been made when he threw his broad hat aside. Then came the little pause which Is forerunner to the first blow, when two men measure each other, seeking each to read the other's purpose. \It ought to be a pretty even break,\ muttered Melvin, his interest obviously that of a sporting man who would travel a thousand miles to see. al fight for a chatunlon's belt. \Trevors tita the _w_elett_bv forty _pounds • Lee has the reach by a hair; both quick- footed; both bard; Lee, maybe a lit- tle harder. Don't know. Even break. The sand will do it—sand or luck.\ The two men drew slowly together. Their hands came up, their fists showed glistening knuckles, their jaws were set, their feet moved cautiously. Then suddenly Bud Lee sprang in and struck. Struck tentatively with his left hand that grazed Trevor.' cheek and did no harm; struck terribly with his right hand that drove through the other man's guard and landed with the little sound of flesh on flesh on Trevors' chest. Trevors' grunt and his return blow came together; both men reeled back a half -pace from the Impact, both hung an Instant upon an unsteady balance, both sprang for- ward. And as they met the second time, they battled furiously, clinging together, striking mercilessly, giving and taking with only the sound of scuffing boot -heels and soft thuds and little coughing grunts breaking the si- lence. Bayne Trevors gave back a stubborn step, striking right and left as he did so; caught himself, hurled himself forward so that now it was Bud Lee who was borne backward by the sheer weight of his opponent. There was a gash on Lee's temple firetti--whlch a thin stream of blood ' trickled; Trevors . ' mouth was blee.- lug. \Under his guard, Trevors I\ shouted Melvin, on the table now, his face red, his eyes shining. \Under un- der!\ \Remember Bud I Remember r cried Carson. \That's it, thnt's It!\ Melvin clapped his two big hands and came perilously near falling from his point of vantage as Trevors' fists drove Into Lee's body and Lee went reeling back. \Give him h—1 I A hundred dollars on Trevors I\ \Take you!\ called Carson without withdrawing his eyes from the two forms reeling up and down, back and forth across the room. \Done!\ cried Melvin. \'Trevor% a hundred dollars--\ He broke off, forgetful of his own words, The two men met again, clung to each other in a ludicrous embrace, broke asunder, and Lee struck to that ids fist, landing fair upon Trevose - chin, hurled the bigger man back, stumbling, falling -- But not fallen. For his back found the wall and saved him. As Lee came on, rushing at him like a Man gone mad, Trevor\ slipped aside and struck back, for the critical moment gaining time to breathe. Be spat, wiped his bloody mouth with the hack of his hand and again eluded • rushing at- tack by ducking and stepping to one tilde. And ever, when he sought to save his own body, he struck hack, grunting audibly with the effort. They taught everywhere, up and down, hack and forth, until every foot of the floor felt their heavy hoots, Vntil each of them was fighting with all of the force that huLin him, fight- ing with that swelinul , anger which grows In leaps and bounds when two men 'strive body to body, when the het breath of one mingles with the bet breath of the other, when red rage looking out of one pair of eyes sees NO reflection In the other. Again and stain Melvin usitttirid: \Ai eve! -Week! By 0--41, an oven break!\ And over and over did Carson's heart rise Is his breast as he saw Bud Lee drive Trevorti, and over and over dld his bean sink elle, he saw Lee sway and reel under the aledge-hauinter blows beating at face and hotly. In the beginning there had been in Bud Lee's mind but the one thought: This man had laid lily hands upon Jut- dith ; this loan must be punished and punished by none other in God's wide world than Bud Lee. Now all coot thought had fled, leaving just the hot desire to beet et that whieh heat at hint, to strike down that which strove to strike him down, to master his enemy, to see the great. powerful body prone at his feet. Now he was fighting for that simpleet. most potent reason in the world, just I•eettuse he at every step was getting something was fighting. And, though he knew back which had nearly gime from him: Trevors visa breathing in noisy jerks: save for the vital fact that lie that he had found a matt as quick and hard and strong as himself, still he told himself that he must fight a now had two hands to Bud Lee's one, winning tight—there was some good rirevors was showing more signs of weariness than Lee. \Bud'll get him—somehow,\ whis- pered Carson. \Good old Bud. Some- how.\ What Carson and Melvin sensed was almost Widen—almost. That was was as tar as a gentleman ever went —Aist to that desperate \almost beaten.\ Not quite. No! not quite. Never that. Both men were nearly spent; Car- son saw that while he cursed softly In his corner; Melvin saw It and watched for the end, wondering just how It would come. Trevoru should swing for the point of the jaw, put all that was In him Into a final, smashing blow, heat through an insufficient guard. do It now, quickly. For both Carson and Melvin saw another thing, a thing which both had sensed at the - outset: Bud Lee was harder than Bayne Tre%ors. Lee, slipping away reason why he must fight a winning fight. His whole body was bruised and battered and sore. A glancing Mow shot him through with pain. Trevors knew how to put lila _weight behind Trevors knew. He saw that Lee was hls blows, and his weight was well having less trouble in eluding him over two hundred pounds. It was now, that i.ee's feet were quicker, like being hammered with a two-hun- lighter than his, that Lee was begin- dred-pound sledge. Ding to strike back viciously at him, Give and take it was from the first and when the blow landed. Trevors' blow, with none of the finesse _01,_11_I _big - body- rocked, shot. through with boxers' match, with less thought of paln. There came fti Tam the riumett escaping punishment than of inflicting which was Melvin's, but it came In it. More than once had Bud Lee felt Trevors' way: Now, quickly, before that he . was falling only to catch Ids _Lee was ready for It, must come the end. So, for the third time that clay Bayne Trevors, with much at, stake, resorted to \what weapons God gave him, what weapons he could lay his mind to, his eyes ,to, his hands to\ —his feet to. Resorting to the old trick which came up `froM South American ports in disreputable' wind- jammers which Is known to the San Francisco waterfront, he raised a heavy foot, striking for Lee's stomach, seeking with one low, horrible blow to double up his already handicapped antagonist In writhing pain on the floor. \An' I gave my word!\ bellowed Carson, the sweat on his own tor - lured brow.. \Oh my Gawd.\ baltmee aml come back at Trevors: more than once had Trevors gone reel- ing backward,.stnashing Into the wall. Many a time did Melvin count his money won and lost. AO - Carson. crouching now, tense. eager...a.ffltle. fearful, muttered constantly to him- self. \They've both got the sand!\ grunted Melvin. \Which one draws the luck?\ But luck stood by and did not enter into the battle that grew ever hotter as Bud Lee's and Trevors' gorge rose higher at every blow. It was to he simply the best Man wine, and none of the six men who watched knew from the beginning until the end who the best man was. What tricks Trey - ors knew, he used and they were met -by- what cunning lay in Bud Lee; what strength, n - hat resistance, what power to endure was in each panting body was called upon to the lust re- serve. Already the spring had, gone out of Their steps. They came at -ach other for the most part more slowly, more cautiously, but more determined not to give over. Faces glistening with sweat, grimy with the dust their pounding feet beat up from the floor, the roots of Lee's hair red where with a bloody hand he had pushed It back, Trevors' lips swollen and ugly, they fought on until the men who looked at them wondered just where lay the limits upon which each depended. \Lee's tough,\ Carson whispered to himself, \Riding every day an' work- ing .. • Trevors has been setting in a chair .... Bud'll wear him out . . . . My G—d! Bud, look out! Foot work....\ Yes, foot work, but not as Carson expected it, not the thing Bud Lee looked for when he sensed rather than read In Trevor** eyes that a fresh trick was coming. He was ready for a lifted boot, and, instead, Trevors, rushing down upon him, threw grap- pling arms about him, heedless of the - list - smashing- • again-lato-lals- tut lips. Trevors doubled and twisted and got a grip about Lee's middle, seeking to throw him. Down they went together with .no particular advantage to either man. But as they roiled apart and Lee threw out an arm to lift hitusell Trey - ors saw the chance he sought and jumped up for it, he drove the heel of his hoot down upon Lee's hand on the floor. From Lee's white lips burst an in- voluntary groan as it seemed to him that every bone in his hand had been crushed, from Carson a choking cry of rage, from Trevors a short laugh as he called out sharply: \Hands off, Carson! Our fight— any way—\ Again on their feet, Trevors a sec- ond first and with the advantage clearly his now rushed Lee, seeking to finish what he had begun. And Bud Lee, his face white and drawn, looking ghastly with the blood smears across It, moving swiftly but not swiftly enough. vent down. Trevors' weight against him. \Five hundred on Trevors!\ shouted Melvin, Carson did not hear him. \At hint, Bud. go at him!\ he was crying over and over. \That's the last dirty trick he's got. 7_90 him, Huddle. Oh, for Oawd's sake, Buddie, go get him!\ Trevors was upon him again, but Lee slipped aside, even rolled over, managed to get to his feet. Again Trevors bore down upon him, a new leaping fire in his eyes. Again, though barely in time. Bud Lee slipped away from him. He drew Trevors' harsh laugh after him and Trevors' questing, eager fists. Lee put up his arm, his right arm, guarding his face, and drew away, back and back. Carson was almost whimpering, calling whining.. ly \Stand up to him, Bud! Oh, go get him, Huddle!\ Still up and down the room they wont, Trevors rushing at Lee. !Abe, taking what biows he must, striking nut hat little seeking now only to pull himself together, to get hitehead clear of daze and dizziness. \Run away, win your' panted Tree- ois. \I've got you, ti—n you. Got you right.\ tab didn't entwee' Be was think- ing dully that 'Rayne Trevor. was near telling the truth. that Bud Lee But jtozt that one brief Instant too late did Bayne Trevors lift his foot. For Bud Lee had expected this, never had forgotten it. had prayed within his soul that the man he fought would use it. Just by that fraction of time which has no name was he quicker than Trevors. and he knew . Now, the sinister pur- pose in Trevors' glaring eyes. as he glimpsed the raised boot as It left the floor, he lowered his own head, averted It ever so little, stooped—and his hand closed like locked Iron about the calf of Trevors' leg. A stifled cry from the bulkier man, a little grunt of effort from Lee, Lee straining, heaving mightily, and Trevors went back, top- pled, fought for his slipping balance, and fell. As he went down Lee was upon him, Lee's arm about his neck, Lee's weight flung upon him, Lee holding his body between a powerful pair of kneeg which rode him as they rode daily some struggling Blue Lake colt Now Bud's left arm, defying the agony of a broken hand, was around him, Lee's legs were about the fran- tically fighting body, and at last Lee's right hand went its sure way to the thick, bared, pulsing throat. Trevors' right arm was caught at his side, held there by the body upon his. Hia left hand beat at Lee's face. _aro* and, battered agmin only to come back like a steam -driven piston to hammer again. But Bud Lee's pain-racked body clung on, his thumb and fingers sank and sank deeper into the corded muscles of the heaving throat, crooked like talons, white and hard and re - tentless. e'er* - terrIbtez - fliieti with hatred, red -flecked with rage. He sottiht, with a great sudden heave, to roll over. But he could not shake off the legs which were like stubborn tentacles about him, could not free his throat of the tensing clutch. He tors at the wrist, Smote again at Lee's head, set his own hand to Lee's throat. In an Instant his hand was back at the hand worrying him, but he was' . un- able to drag it away. His face went white, flamed red, grew purplish. His eyes bulged up at Lee's, his deep chest contracted • \Got liocough?\ He Panted. spasmodically. Lee, summoning an of the force within him, drove thumb IMO devoer. - \Oct enough?' he panted.
