THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE
Big
44
niicmnacieoait
Coouriahr bu William MacLeod
CHAPTER XI Continual
Followed a long silence. Durond
was resolved to wult until his enemy
grew restless and betrayed himself.
The delny became u test of moral
stamina. The contest was not one of
grit, hut of that unlluwed nerve which
la so much tho result of perfect physi
cal Utness. Clny'8 years of clean life
on the desert counted heavily now. lie
was master of himself, though his
mouth was dry as a whisper and there
were goose quills on his flcflh.
But Durand, used to the fetid ut
mosphere of barrooms and to the soft
living of the great city, found his
nerve beginning to crack under the
strain. What kind of a man was his
enemy to He there In the black silence
nnd not once give sign of where ho
was, In spite of crashing bullets? Was
It possible that he could have killed
tho fellow nt the first shot? Tho com
fort of this thought whispered hope In
the ear of tho ex-prlze-llghter.
A chair crashed wildly. Durand
fired again nnd yet again, his nerves
giving way to a pnnlc that carried him
to swift action. He could not havo
stood another moment without scream
Ing. There came the faint sound of a
hand groping on tho wall, and Imme
diately after a flood of light filled tho
room.
Clay stood by the door. Ills revol
ver covered the crouching gang lender.
His eyes were hard and pitiless.
"Try nnother shot," he advised Iron
ically. Jorry did. A harmless click was all
tho result he got. Ho knew now that
the cowman had tempted him to waste
I1I3 Inst shots nt a bit of furniture
flung across the room.
"You'll lell me what you did with
Kitty Mason," said Clay In his low,
persuasive volco, just aB though thoro
had been no Intermission of flying but
lots since "he hnd mentioned tho girl
before.
"You can't' kill me, when I haven't
a loaded gun," Durand answered be
tween dry Hps.
Tho other man nodded an admission
of Uiat point. "That's an ndvantago
you've got of me. You could kill me If
I didn't have n gun, because you'ro a
jrollow woK. But I can't kill you.
That's right. But I can beat h 11 out
of you, and I'm sure goln' todo It" I
pPnll.'a "Yinnn u.tintt mimiWa m
"xniirs encap, wnen you'vo got a
loaded six-gun In your list," Jeered
Jerry.
, With a lllrt of his hand Clay tossed
tho revolver to the top of a book-case,
out of easy reach of a man standing
on the floor. Ho ripped open tho but
tons of Ills overcoat and slipped out of
It, then moved forward with elastic !
step.
"It's you or mo
rand."
I
now, Jorry Du-
Ttie prize-fighter gnvo a snort of de
risive triumph. "You d n fool I 111
eat you alive."
"Mcbbeso. I reokou my system can
nsslmUnto any whalln you'ro llnblo to
hnnd me. Go to It."
Durand hnd tho licnvy shoulders nnd
swelling muscles thut como from years
of training for tho ring. Llko most
pugilists out of active service lie hnd
taken on flesh. But tho extra weight !
was not fat, for Jerry kept always In
good condition. Ho held his leader
ship partly at least because of his
physical prowess. No tough in New
York would willingly have met him In
u rough-und-tuniblo fight.
'The younger man was more slightly
built. He was a Hermes rather than
a Hercules. His muscles flowed.
They did not bulge. But when ho
moved It whs with tho lltheness of n
pnnther. The long lines of shoulder
nnd loin lind tho flow of tigerish grace.
Tho clear eyes Jn the brown face told
of n soul Indoniltablo in n perfectly
synchronized body.
Durand lushed out with a swinging
loft nil the weight of his body behind
tho blow. Clny stepped back, shot a
hard straight right to tho cheek and
ducked tho counter. Jerry rushed him,
flailing nt,lils foo blow on blow, Intend
ing to wear him out by Bheor hard
hammering. Ho butted with tils head
nnd knee, used every foul trick ho had
learned lu hia rotten trudo of prize
fighting. Actlvo ns n wild cat, tho
Arlr.onun slde-stcppod, scored a loft
on the oyo, ducked again and fought
back the furious attack.
, Tho gangmnn camo out of tho rally
winded, pcrploxcd and disturbed. His
check was bleeding, ono oyo was In
dlstrefls, and ho hud hardly touched
his ngtlo opponent.
Ho rushed again. Nothing but his
temper, the luck of self-control that
made him sao red nnd had onco put
hlru at the mercy of n first-class ring
general with stamina and a punch,
hadjeept Jerry out of a world cham
pionship. Ho. had everything claa
needed, 'but ho was Uio victim of Ids
own passion. It betrayed him now.
Ills fighting wns that of a wild cavo
noon, bllud, furious, damaging. Ho
- Town
('His
bund
by
- a.r ir In
HHOffiH
Kustrations by njj
II 1
Rauift
uuov uwuy mo ni'juinu uiiu ma sjkiii
In order to destroy the man he tinted,
no rained blows on him fought with
head and knee nnd list, was on top of
him every moment, controlled by ono
dominating purpose to make that
dancing figure take the dust.
Clay was cool, quite master of him
self. Before the light had gone three
minutes he knew thut, barring a
chance blow, some foul play, or a bit
of bad luck, he would win. He wns
covering up, lotting the pugilist wear
himself out, and taking only the pun
ishment he must. But he wns getting
home some heavy body blows that
wero playing the mischief with Jerry's
wind.
The New Yorker, pufllug like n sea
Hon, came out of n rally winded and
spent. Instantly Clay took the of
fensive. He was a trained boxer ns
well ns a fighter, and he had been
tnnght how to make every ounco of his
weight count. Hipping in a body blow
as u feint, he brought down Durand's
guard. A straight left crashed home
between the eyes and a heavy solar
plexus shook the man to tho heels.
Durand tried to close with him. An
uppcrcut Jolted him back. He plunged
forward again. They grappled, knock
ing over chairs ns they threshed across
the room. When they went down
Clay was underneath, but as they
struck the floor ho whirled and landed
on top.
Tho mnn below fought furiously to
regain his feet Clay's arm worked
like n piston rod with short-nrm Jolts
against tho battered face. Gasping for
breath, Durand suddenly collapsed.
Clay got to tils feet and waited for
him to rise. Ills enemy rolled over
and groaned.
"Had enough?" demanded the west
erner. No answer came, except the heavy,
Irregular breathing of the man on tho
floor, who wns clawing for air In his
lungs.
"I'll nsk you onco more where Kitty
Mason Is. And you'll tell mo unless
you want mo to begin on you all oyer
again."
The beaten pugilist sat up, leaning
against tho wall. He felt ashamed and
disgraced by his defeat Life for him
had lost Its savor, for he had met his
master.
"She got awny."
"How?"
i.
"They turned her loose, to duck the
bulls," enmo Uie slow, sullen answer.
"Whore?"
"In Centrnl park."
Probably this was tho truth, Clay
reflected. He could take the man's
word or not as ho pleased. There was
no way to disprove It now.
He recovered his revolver, throw the
automatic out of the window and
walkcd to tno u00r
"Joe's tied up In a back room," he
said over his shoulder.
Thirty seconds later Clay stepped
Into tho street. He wnlkcd across to
a subway station and took nn uptown
train.
Men looked at him curiously. His
face was bruised and bleeding, his
clothes dlshovcled, his hat torn. Clay
grinned and thought of tho old nnswer:
They'd ought to see tho other
man."
One young fellow, apparently a col
lege boy, who had looked upon the
Ho Threw Away Hl Science and His
Skill In Order to Destroy the Man
He Hated.
wlno when It wus red, wns moved t
como over and offer condolence.
"Say, I don't want to butt In or any.
thing, but ho didn't do a thing to you.
did ho?"
"I hit tho edgo of a door In the
dark," explained Clay solemnly.
"That door must havo had several
edges." The youth " '.
flat ndmlsslonT "I've got an edge on
myself, sort of."
"Not really?" murmured Clny po
litely. "Surest thing you know. Sny, was
It a good scrap?"
"I'd hate to mix In a better one."
"Wish I'd been there." Tho student
fumbled for a card. "Didn't catch
your name?"
Clny hnd no Intention of giving his
name Just now to any casual stranger.
Ho laughed nnd hummed the chorus of
an old range ditty.
CHAPTER XIII
Johnnie Comes Into His Own.
When Clny shot off ut. n tangent
from the car and censed to function as
a passenger, Johnnie mndc nn effort
to descend nnd Join his friend, but nt
rendy the tnxl wns traveling at a
speed that made this dangerous. He
leaned out of the open door nnd shout
ed to the driver.
"Sny, iemme out, doggono you, I
wnntta get out right here."
The chauffeur paid not the least at
tention to him. no skidded round n
corner, grazing tho curb, and put his
loot on the accelerator. Tho car
Jumped forward, sweeping down the
wot street, now and again skidding
dnngerously. It swung into Fourth
avenuq, slowing to tnko the curve. At
tho widest sweep of tho arc Johnnie
stopped down. His feet slid from un
der him nnd he rolled to the curb
across tho wet asphalt. Slowly he got
up and tested himself for broken
bones. He was sure ho hnd dislocated
a few hips nnd It took him some time
to persuade himself he was all right,
excopt for sorao bruises.
But Johnnlo, free, had no Idea what
to do. He was as helpless as Johnnie
Imprisoned in the flying cab. Of what
Clay's plan had been he had not the
remotest Idea. Yet he could not go
home nnd do nothing. Ho must keep
searching. But where? One thing
stuck In his mind. His friend had
mentioned that he would like to get
a chance to call the police to find out
whether Kitty had been rescued. He
was anxious on that point himself. At
tho first cigar store he stopped and
was put on the wire with headquar
ters. He learned that a car supposed
to be the one wanted had been driven
Into Central park by the police a fow
minutes earlier.
Johnnie's mind carried him on a
straight Hue to the simplest decision,
ne ran across to Fifth avenue and
climbed Into a bus going uptown. At
the Seventy-second street entrance
Johnnlo left the bus and plunged Into
tho park. The impish gods who de
light In turning upside down the best
laid plans of mice and men wero work
ing overtime tonight They nrranged
It that a girl cowering among the wot
bushes bordering an unfrequented
path heard the "HI yl yl" of Arizo
na and gave a iaint cry for help. That
cull reached Johnnie and brought him
on the run.
A mun beside the girl Jumped up
with a 'snarl, gun In hand.
But the Itunt had caught n sight of
Kitty. A file of fixed bayonets could
not have ke.pt him frem trying to res
cue her. He dived through the brush
like a football tackier.
A gun barked. Tho little mnn did
not even know it Ho and t'-e thug
went down together, rolled over,
clnwed furiously at each other, and
got to their feet simultaneously. But
the cowpuncher held the gun now.
The crook glared at him for u moment,
and bolted for the snfety of the
bushes In wild flight.
Johnnie fired once, then forgot all
about the private little war he had
Btarted. For his arms wore full of a
sobbing Kitty, who clung to him while
sho wept nnd talked and exclaimed all
in n breath.
"I knew you'd come, Johnnie. I
knew you would you or Clay. They
left me hero with him while they got
away from the police. . . . Oh, I've
been so scared. I didn't know I
thought "
" 'S nil right. 'S all right, UT girl.
Don't you cry, Kitty. Mo 'n' Clay
won't lot 'em hurt you none. Wo sure
won't"
Sho nestled closer, and Johnnie's
heart lost a beat. He had become
aware of a dull puln in the shoulder
and of something wet trickling down
his shoulder. But what Is one little
bullet In your geography when the
sweotest girl In tho world Is In your
arms?
"I ain't notliln' but a hammered
down UT haysed of a cowpuncher," he
told her, his voice trembling, 'W
you'ro awful pretty nn' an' "
A flag of color fluttered to her soft
checks. Tho silken Inshcs fell shyly.
"I think you're fine and dandy, tho
bravest mnn that ever was."
"Do you flguro you could ? I I
I don't rockon you could ever "
Ho stopped, abashed. To him this
creature of soft curves was of heaven
sent charm. All the beauty and vital
ity of her youth cnll'cd to him, It
seemed to Johnnlo that Cod spoke
through her. Which Is another way
of saying that ho was In love with her.
Sho made a rustling Uttlo stir In his
nrms nnd lifted a flushed face very
tender and appealing. In tho darkness
her Hps slowly turned to his.
Johnnlo cboso that inopportune mo
ment to get sick at tho stomach.
"I I'm goln' to faint," ho an
nounced, and did.
When ho returned to his love-story
Johnnie's head wns In Kitty's lap and
a mounted policeman was in the fore
ground of tho scene. His face wan
wet from tho mist of 'fine rain falling,
"Don't move. Some ono went for a
car," she whispered, bending over him
o thut flying tendrils of her hair
brushed his cheek. w,Are you badly
hurt?"
He snorted. "I'm n false alarm.
Nothln n-tall. He Jes' creased me."
; "You're so brave," she cried, ad
i mirlngly.
I Ho had never been told Oils before.
1 Ho suspected It wns not true, but to
, hear her sny It wns mnnnn to his hun
, gry soul.
i The cab stopped nt ttio liotiso of a
doctor and the shoulder was dressed
, The doctor mndo ono pnrdonnble mls
Ijnke. j "Get your wife to give you this
I sleeping powder If you And you can't
! Bleep," he said.
; "Y'betcha," answered Johnnie cheer
fully.
Kitty looked nt htm reproachfully
and blushed. She scolded him nbout It
nfter they readied the apartment
wlicro they lived.
Her new fiance defended himself.
"He's only n day or two prema-chure,
honey. It wasn't hnrdly worth while
exphilnln'," he clnlmed.
"A day or two. Oh, Johnnie 1"
"Sure. I ain't gonna wnlt. Wha's
the mnttcr with tomorrow?"
"I haven't any clothes mnde," she
evaded, nnd added by way of diver
sion. "I always liked that klndn gold
en down on your cheeks."
"The stores are full of 'eta. An' we
ain't tulkln' about my whiskers not
right now."
"You're n nice old thing," sho whis
pered, flashing into unexpected dim
ples, nnd sho rewarded him for .his
nlceness In a wny he thought alto
gether desirable.
A crisp, strong step sounded out
side. The door opened nnd Clny came
Into tho room.
He looked at Kitty. "Thank heaven,
you're safe," he said.
"Johnnie rescued me," sho cried.
"He got shot in the shoulder."
Tho men looked nt each other.
"Bad, Johnnie?"
"Nope. A plumb li'l scratch. Wha's
the matter with you?"
A gleam of humor flitted Into the
eyes of the cattleman. "I ran Into a
door."
"Say, Clay," Johnnie burst out, "I
betcha can't guess."
His friend laughed In umbiable de
rision. "Oh, you kids In the woods. I
knew It soon ns I opened the door."
He walked up to the girl and took
her hand. "You got a good man, Kitty.
I'm wlshin' you nil the Joy In the
world."
Her eyes flashed softly. "Don't I
know I've got u good man, nnd I'm
going to be happier than I deserve."
Tim Muldoon, In his shirt-sleeves,
wns busy over a lute breakfast when
his mother opened the door of the flat
to let In Clay Lindsay.
The policeman took one look at the
damaged face and forgot the plate of
ham and eggs that had Just been put
before him.
rtYuh've been nt It ngalnl" he cried,
his Irish eyes lighting up with antici
patory enjoyment
"I had a little set-to with friend
Jerry last night." the westerner ex
plained. "Another? What's the trouble now?"
'You heard nhout the girl nbducted
In an auto from the Bronx?"
"Oh-huh! Was Jerry In that?'
"Ho was. I'll tell you the whole
story, Tim."
"Meet my mother first. Mother
Mr. Lindsay. Yuh've' heard me talk
nv him."
' Mrs. Muldoon's blue Irish eyes
twinkled. She was a plump and am
ple woman, and her handshake was
firm and strong.
"I have that. Tim thinks yuh a
wonder, Mr. Lindsay."
Clny told the story of his encounter
with Durand on the train and of his
subsequent meetings with him at tho
"You Bate Him! I can ee It In Your
Eye!" Cried Muldoon, Pounding the
Table So That the Dishes Jumped,
Sea Siren and on tho night of the
poker party. He made elisions and
emendations that removed tho bed
room sceno from tho tale.
"So that's when yuh met Annlo Mil
llkan," Tim said. "I was wonderln'
how yuh knew her."
"That's when I met her. She's one
flno girl, Tim, a suro-enough thorough
bred. She hns fought agnlnst heavy
odds all her life to. keep good and hon
est. And she's done It."
"She has that," ngrecil Mrs. Mul
doon, heartily. "Annlo Is a good girl.
I always liked her."
"I'd bet my Inst chip on Annie. Bo
last night I went straight to her. Sho
wouldn't throw down Sllra'' Jim, but
sho gave mo an address. I went there
and met Durand."
"With his gang?" asked Tim.
"No; I waited till they had gone. I
locked myself, In n room alone with
him. He took eight shots at mo In the
dark and then we mixed."
"You bntc him I I can see It In your
eye!" cried Muldoon, pounding tho
table so that tho dishes Jumped.
"You'll have to ask him about that"
Clay passed to more Important facts.
"When I reached home Kitty was
there. They had dropped tier In the
park to make a safe getiiwny."
"That's good."
"But Tim when Annlo Milllknn
gave me the address where Jerry Du
rand was, the driver of my tnxl saw
her. The mnn wns 'Slim' Jim."
Muldoon sat up, n serious look on
his fuce. "Man, yuh split the beans
that time. How'd you ever comu to
do It? They'll take It out on Annie,
the dogs." The eyes of tho policeman
blazed.
"Unlcso wo stand by her. First
we've got to get her away from there
to some decent placo where she'll be
safe."
Mrs. Muldoon spoke up. "And
that's easy. She'll just take our spare
bedroom and welcome. Sure the girl
needs a mother nnd n home. An' I
don't doubt that she'll pay her way."
"Then that's settled. Will you see
Annlo, Tim? Or shall I?"
"We'll both see her. But there's
another thing. Will she be safe
hero?"
"I'm goln" to have n talk with 'Slim'
Jim and try to throw a scare into him.
I'll report to you what ho says."
They took a trolley to the lodging
house where Annie lived.
The girl looked pale and tired. Clay
guessed she had slept little. The mem
ory of "Slim" Jim's snarling face had
stood out In the darkness at the foot
of her bed.
"Is this a pinch?" she asked Tim,
with a pert little tilt to her chin.
"Yuh can call It that, Annie. Moth
er wants yuh to come and stay with
us. You're not safe here. That gang
will make yuh pay somehow for what
yuh did."
"And If your mother took mo In
they'd make her pay. You'd maybe
lose your Job."
"I'd find another. I'm thlnkln of
qulttln', anyhow."
"I don't think they'd get Tim," put
In Clay. "I'm goln' to see Collins and
have a talk with him."
"You can't salve Jim with soft
soap."
"Did I mention soft soap?"
"I heard some one most killed Jerry
Durand last night," said Annie abrupt
ly, staring nt Lindsay's bruised face.
"Was it you?"
"Yes," snid the Arizonan simply.
"Did you get the girl?"
"They dropped her to save them-
selves. My friend found her with a
man and took herefrom him."
"I hope you did up Jerry right I"
dried Annie, a vindictive flash In her
dark eyes.
"I haven't called him up this mo'n
In' to see how he's feelln'," said Clay
whimsically. "Miss Annie, we're wor
ried some about .you. Mrs. Muldoon
is right anxious for us to get you to
come and .stay awhile with her. She's
honln' to have a ,ilT girl to mother.
Don't you reckon you can go?"
"I I wish yuh'd come, Annie,"
blurted out Tim, looking down his
nose.
"I'm nn alley cat you're offerin' to
take In nnd feed, TJm Muldoon she
charged suspiciously.
"Yulire the girl my mother loves."
He choked on the impulsive avowal he
had almost made and finished the sen
tence awkwardly.
The girl's face softened. Inside,
she was' a river of tenderness flowing
townrd tho Irishman. "I'll go to your
molher, Tim, If she really wants me,"
she said almost in a murmur.
"You're shoutln' now, Miss Annie,"
said Clay, smiling. "She sure wants
you. I'll tilt the trail to have that talk
with Jim Collins."
He found "Sllra" Jim at his stand.
That flashily dressed young crook eyed
him with a dogged and wary defiance.
He had just come from a call at tho
bedside of Jerry Durand and he felt
a healthy respect for tho man who
couWl do what this light-stepping
young fellow had done to the cham
pion rough-houser of New York. The
story Jerry had told was of an assault
from behind with a club, but this Col
lins did not ncccpt at par. There were
too many bruises on his sides and cuts
on his face to be accounted for In any
way except by a hard toe-to-too light
"Mo'nln', Mr. Collins. I left you In
n hurry last night nnd forgot to pay
my bill. What's the damage?" asked
Clay In his gently ironic drawl.
"Slim" Jim growled something tho
meaning of which was drowned In an
oath.
"You say it wns u free ride? Much
obliged. That's sure fair enough,"
Clay went on easily. "Well, 1 didn't
come to talk to you about that. I've
got other business with you this mo'n
ln'." Tho chauffeur looked at him sullen
ly and silently.
Suppose we get inside the cab.
where we cun talk comfortnbly," Clay
proposed.
"Slim" Jim stepped into the cab nnd
sat down. Clny followed him, clQslng
tho door.
"nnvo you seen Jerry Durand this
sunuy mo'nln'?" asked Lindsay, with
surface amiability.
"Wofs It to yon?" demanded Col
lins. "Not a thing. Nothln' n-tall," agreed
Clny. "But it may bo scrmethln' to you.
I'm klnda wonderln' whether I'll have
to do to you what I did to him."
TO BH CONTINUED
When in North Platte
CONG AND SEE US
Hotel Palace
Palace Cafe
PalaceBazaar
Everything first class and prices
reasonable. Opposite Union Pacific
Station.
Pit. E. C. LYNCH
Eye Ear Noso and Throat
Glauses fitted nccuxatoly
Over Dixon's Storo '
NORTH PLATTE
J. S. TWINEM. M. D.
(Homeopath)
Medicine and Surgery
Hospital Fadlltios
NORTH PLATTE, NEBR.
Office Phono 183 Residence 283
W. T. PRITCIIARD
Graduate Yctcrlnarlnn
Ex-Govornmont Veterinarian and ex
asslstant deputy State Veterinarian.
Hospital 315 South Vine Street
Phones. Hospital 633 Residence 633
Dlt. REDFIELD '
Physician, Obstetrician, Surgeon
X.Bay
Calls promptly answered Night or Day
Phonos. Offlco 642 Residence G76
JOHN S. SIMMS, M. B.
Special Attention Given to
Surgery
McDonald Bank Building
Office Phone 83 Residence 38
DR. J. It, McKIRAHAN
Practice Limited to Diseaso of
Women and Surgory
Over Rexall Drug Storo
Phonos: Offico 127 Residence 656
Office 340 House 723J
DR. W. I. SHAFFER
Osteopath Physician
Over tho Oasis North Platto
TVM. WALDORF
Tinner
Makes or Repairs anything made of
Tin or Sheet Metal.
510 Locust Under General Hospital
ED KIERIG
Auctioneer
For dates and terms call at
First National Bank
North Platto, Nob.
DR. HAROLD FENNER
Osteopath
Over Hlrschfeld's
Offico Phone 333 Res. Phono 1020
DR. M. B. STATES
Chiropractor
Rooms 5. 6, 7 Building & Loan Bldg.
Offico Phono 70 Res. Phono 1242
Offico Phono 241 Res. Phono 217
L. C. DROST
Osteopathic Physician
North Platto, Nebraska.
Knights of' Columbus Building.
OTIS R. FLATT, M. D.
Physician and Surgeon
X-Ray
DlagnoBS and Troamont
Over Union Stato Bank
Office Phono 29GW Houso Phono 2U6R
GEO. B. DENT
Physician nnd Surgeon
Special Attention Given to Surgery
and Obstetrics
Offico: Building & Loan Building
Phones: Office 130 Residence 115
DR. L. A. SNAVELY
Dentist
X-Ray Diagnosis Oxygen and
Gas Anesthesia for Extractions.
Over Union Stato Bank
Phono 296.
DERRYBERRY & FORBES
Llccnsod Etubaliners
Undertakers nnd Fnneral Directors
Day Phono 41 Night Phono Black 588
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