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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1935)
fl b iTll t a! 'l | 11 m §1 ’ ■ * A I I ^BB 1 | jw I pi fl| i fi Harold Titus VV NO IfttlVltl. SYNOPSIS Ben Elliott—from ''yonder’*— makes his entry into the lumbering town of Tincup, bringing along an old man, Don Stuart, who had been eager to reach Tincup. Elliott de feats Bull Duval, '’king of the river.” and town bully, in a log-blrling con test. Nicholas Brandon, the town's leading citizen, resents Stuart's pres ence, trying to force him to leave town and Elliott, resenting the act, knocks him down. Elliott Is arrest ed, but find? s friend in Judge Able Armltage. CHAPTER II—Continued —4— “And what makes you think,” El liott asked, “that I’ve got a chance to put it over when other men have failed?” Able did not hesitate. “Because you have youth and a liking for tough nuts! You’ve had experience In timber operations and aren’t afraid of Nick Brandon, and, last and most Important of all, you came to Tincup hunting trouble. "Son”—putting a hand on his shoulder—"I'd take Bridger’s word on men quicker than I’d take the word of any man. He says you can do It If you will. I’m asking you, now. as an old man with his back to the wall, will you help me on this?" Ben Elliott did not reply at once. Be was staring at the floor as one will when debating with himself and preparing for argument with another. He twisted his head grave ly and smiled. Then he looked into Abie’s face. “When do we start?” he asked. * The Justice swallowed. “You ready now? Without know ing any more about if?” “I know enough. It’s good tim ber and it’s Brandon who's messing up the detail. . . . Let’s go. Judge 1” • •••*•• It was just before whistle time next morning at the Hoot Owl mill. ‘‘Who's th' young feller with Able?” the trlnunermnn asked the ^ flier. “New boss.” “Him?" The trinmierman spat and leaned further forward for a better look at Ben Elliott as he stood talking to the sawyer in the gloom of early day. “Say . . . Ain’t he the lad that ducked th’ bull? 'Nd took a poke at Brandon?” “Th’ same.” “Well I’lfbe d—d! Only a kid. He may he a good hand on a birlln’ log but won’t Nick Brandon find tiirn sweet pickin'! He likes ’em young, Nick does . . . and ’special ly after this one took such pains to make himself unpopular with Mis ter Nick “Yup. He’ll be duck soup for Brandon all right!’’ The hand of the millwright’s watch approached the hour. The aawyer pulled the signal cord. The big shaft commenced to turn and from machine to machine went Boi ler while Able and Ben watched, examining belting, grease cups, see ing that live rollers ran steadily and true. The pulleys turned slow ly for a full five minutes and then as the cracked whistle atop the boil er house cackled Its message that another working day had begun, the carriage swept forward and the saw snarled its way into a good maple log. Elliott stirred on his feet. It was the way a mill should start, any how. But after that beginning the pro cedure was not so good. The saw yer was not quick in making de cisions. Twice in a half dozen logs his slabs were thick to the point of waste; he did not turn one particu larly good piece as soon as he should to grade his lumber to the highest point. The setter, too, wus mediocre. The deck man loafed and let the bull chain fill up and stop even when his deck was half empty. The mill crew was not happy. They appeared to be men working for a cause they felt was lost. 4 Ben went with Buller. then, from niau to man and watched each do Ids work. In the yard they passed logs rolled to one side. “Much veneer stuff good as that?” Ben asked, eyeing them. "Not much coming in now. but there’s a lot of it standing,’’ Buller answered. "Buyer In here ten days ago looking up bird’s-eye maple and veneer birch. Harrington was sav k ing It as it came in; some of it. He liatl too many things to think about, Harrington did. The buyer's due back any day, though. Market’s up, I guess. He'll probably pay a fancy figure for what we have to offer him.” Then he went to the particular problem confronting them. With the locomotive laid up the steady supply of logs from camp to mill would be cut off. Snow was fall ing lightly, now. but sleighing might be days distant. To log the mill by trucks was Impractical, he declared, and unless the railroad equipment qould be put In working condition they might be forced to shut down. Fortunately a reserve log supply of n sort was on hand, decked high be side the pond. “We’ll have to break out this one deck now,’’ Buller said. “Pond's about empty." He whistled and waved to the pond man. Picking np a penvey lie led the way toward thnt high hank of maple, beech and birch logs. Ben followed. "Try the big birch first," Buller said to the pond man. They engaged the hooks of their peaveys; they heaved. The log rolled away easily and lumbered down the Incline to the water. An other . . and still another, each coming away separately and starting no movement of others above them. Buller spat. “That d—n beech butt’s in tight,” he said, tapping the log with his penvey pick. "Try her, Jim; now be careful. When she comes, the whole deck'll move In a hurry." They heaved to no result, with a sharp “Now!” they heaved again, but the beech, nestling in the face of the deck at the height of a man's hip, refused to budge. “Hold on! Give you a hand.” Ben picked up a peavey and approached. "Here, take tlds end, Elliott," the foreman said, moving In toward the center which was under the tower ing facade of the deck. “No, go on back. I’ll do the risk taking for this lay-out for a while.” Buller made no reply but grinned. The pond man looked at Ben ap provingly and spat on his hands. Beavey hooks bit the log’s ends again; a peavey point, with all Ben Elliott’s strength bearing on it, pried beneath the center of the re luctant beech. . . . “Now, . . . To gether !” He lifted his weight from the ground. His peavey handle bent. “Look out!” Buller’s voice was shrill on the warning as movement sent Ben Elliott swinging to the right. The key stick popped out, all but upon Ben. The logs above settled with a heavy mutter and then with that thunderous, ringing, boom ing sound of hardwood in motion, they rolled upon him. Elliott had dropped his peavey, leaped nimbly over the beech as It struck the ground and bounced on its way to the wnter. He hopped to the first log and spurned it with his one foot, landed on the follow ing with both, hesitated n split in stant and stepped to yet another. Arms spread, balancing carefully, watching those logs as a boxer watches his opponent's blows, he went up that zooming, booming avalanche as it came down. He danced to the left as the end of one stick swung out to clout him to a pulp. He ran rapidly over three that lumbered down beneath him and paused. Two came riding together, one atop the other, a moving barrier as high as his waist. Duller opened his lips in a cry of warning but thrusting out one hand, touching the topmost of the pair ever so lightly. Den vaulted over, landing on another that rolled and grum bled behind the two. Crevasses be tween logs opened and closed be fore him. Sticks pepped out of the tremendous pressure and roiled down slantwise. Imperiling him. He did not rim rapidly. At times he seemed to move with painful, with dangerous deliberation. But he was watching the logs and his chances and di«l not make a move until he was certain of where he was go ing. Slowly the deck settled. Half of what had been piled logs now bobbed and swayed and rolled In the pond. The rest, reduced from the height to which it had towered a few seconds before, came to rest. And Ben Elliott, on its lowered crest, stood still a moment until certain the movement was ended and then came slowly down, look ing not at the men who gappil at him hut at the logs over which he walked with a critical, appraising eye. “Attn hoy!” an unidentified voice yelled above the roar of the car riage exhaust, but if Elliott heard this tie gave no indication. “New, if Duller can’t get that lo comotive going by noon.” he said to the pale and visibly shaken Able, “we’ll telegraph for a new spider. No use taking more chances. Come on, Buller, let's look at the stuff you’ve got piled.” Blinking, the millwright followed him. “ 'Y G—d!” muttered the pond ) man. "Slick shod, he went over that face! Slick shod! ’Y G—d!" In the crepe rubber soles of his pacs, Ben Elliott had done what would have been a feat for an agile veteraD In calked river boots. . . . And Immediately gone on about an other phase of his Job as though such spectacular activity were all In a day's work. An hour later the mill stood si lent for five minutes while a brok en conveyor chain was repaired. In that Interval every man on the Job had heard the story. When they started the head sawyer was grinning and It seemed as though the saw stayed In the log more constantly than It had be fore, as If the mill functioned with greater smoothness, as If something In the nature of enthusiasm went Into the labor along with brawn and experience. CHAPTER III XJOT so In the camp where men ^ and horses tolled to make decks of logs h.v night out of what at dawn had been standing trees. Nearly half the crew were Finns, stolid, uncommunicative fellows, good enough workmen but difficult to speed up. "Aren’t there any good men left loose around here?" Ben asked Able on bis first trip to town. "Few." The Justice shook hts bead. "Good workers, lots of ’em But Brandon keeps hold of them. He treats them w ell; he's nobody's fool. Tint If a good man crosses hint . . . out of the region he goes! “Old Tim Jeffers Is the only man who’s stood nut against Nick and he’s the best logger these woods have ever seen but he doesn’t like Brandon, can’t work for him and is so disgusted that he’s quit the tim ber and settled down on a farm. He hasn't set foot In a camp for three years and swears he never will again. Neither will lie he run out of the country." Ben thoughtfully watched the snow, which had been falling stead ily for three days. “We ought to have a new boss for camp. That crew needs riding If they’re going to produce. Rup pert means well hut he doesn’t know how.” Ituppert was the camp foreman. “That’s part of the hard shell of this nut, Ben; lack of good men who've got the sand to stick here and work for anybody but Bran don.” The next morning—Sunday—Ben sat over a table in his tiny office working with paper and pencil when Bird-Eye Blaine burst in. "The Bull's here!” the little Irsh The Bull Gave Up Trying to Close. man exclaimed In a whisper, closing the door behind him hastily. “Th' Bull’s here . . . ’nd wearln’ his river boots 1" Ben shoved back his chair. ••What’s this?” “Ah, It’s Brandon thut’s slnt him I He’s Mlsther Brandon’s pet bull 'nd he’ll clane this camp av men loike he’s done many a time before! He’s wearln’ 1 lver boots 'nd swillin’ whisky!’’ “Where?” Elliott got to his feet "In th’ men’s camp,"—gesticulat ing with his thumb. “He’s Just now come in 'nd they’re commencin’ to sift out, th' domrned yellow bellies!” Without stopping even for his cup Hen stepped out and crossed to the men’s camp. He did not burst Into the place, but opened the door cas ually and slipped inside. In the center of the room, close by the heating stove above which seeks hung from drying racks, stood Hull DuvaL llis cap was tilted on Ills head, he leaned bnckward from his hips, in his uplifted right hand was h quart whisky bottle nearly full and his voice bellowed the words of a woods classic. In the far end of the room a half dozen men were huddled. From several upper hunks concerned faces watched the Hull. The men were clearly afraid, certain that this hi larity was only a prelude to a melee In which heads would be broken and bodies bruised. The swaying of Ibtval's nod.v. as he moved to the measure of the ballad, brought him facing the door way. Hen Elliott stepped forward two or three paces and stood watching him His gaze was steady, and In his eyes danced • warning flame. The Bull broke short his song. “Good day. Mister Elliott!” he said heavily, In mock respect. “1 heerd you was th’ new boss nt Hoot Owl and likely you're lookin’ fer good men. Ilere’s one, Elliott Here’s th’ best man you’ll get • chanct to hire until th' next blue snow!" Ben, heedless of the Increased tension which showed on the faces of the onlookers, crossed the floor slowly. “You want to work for me, Du val?" he asked. “Think I come over to spark you?" the other countered Inso lently. “Have a drink!" He extended the bottle, holding It In his great hand, grinning at Ben. “In the first place, 1 don’t want to hire you," Elliott said. “In the second, there’s no hooch allowed in this camp." He snatched the bottle, swung and sent It crashing against the stove. For a brief moment the hiss of Its contents against Bcorchlng metal had the place while the Bull’s head thrust slowly forward and his small eyes grew red with rage. His lip drew back, exposing yellow teeth. “Will you walk out, Duval?" Ben asked. "Or do you want me to throw you through the door?" “Throw me out?" Duval cried thickly. “Throw me out? Why. kid, th' best day you ever seen you couldn’t—” He got Just that far In his boast. His hands had knotted Into great fists, his body swayed, hut 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 Ids lips, driving the words bnck Into his teeth. It was a hard blow, with every, thing Ben Elliott had from knuck les to ankle put hehlnd Its drive. The savagery with which he struck threw Ben off his own balance, hut hard ns he had hit. quirk as he had been, the blow was not enough to put Puvnl down. He closed with a rocr, one great nrm clani[ied about Elliott’s waist, the other hnnd smearing across Elli ott’s face, shoving Ben's head back ward ns the fingers sought the eyes. Ben twisted away from that men ace of gouging, strnlned against that crushing embrue? nnd struck hastily with both hands But the Bull’s chin « a« safe against his own shoul der, his forehead burrowing Into Elliott’s chest for protection nnd not until Beu lifted his knee with n drive like thnt of a piston did Duval let go. He reeled backward then, curs ing Inarticulately, panting nnd heav ing forward again from his spiked stance on the rough floor as he struck with all his might. Ills blov went home, a stinging, crushing im pact on Ben's cheek bone and Du val’s great w-elght followed, beartng the other to the floor, flat os his buck. The Bun spread armv, and legs In a smothering sprawl as he went down but before he could pin Ben close and helpless he was wrig gling, threshing over, eluding n hand which clawed for his throat, grasping Duval’s leg, lifting, strain ing, finally throwing him off. lurch lng to his knees and then got to his feet, pitching forward off oalance ns he ran, and coming to a halt against the bunks. He faced about sharply to see Duval standing, blood on his mouth, bent forward, arms hooked nnd ex tended, like some great Jungle crea ture stirred to killing fury. Elliott did not try to elude him. With a grunt he charged, head down, one arm before his face, 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 half about and the next rocked him. Fie grappled for Ben, but Ben sidestepped nnd struck Duval as he lurched past. The Bull gave up trying to close. He struck out, now, with renewed savagery as they stood toe-to-toe for n moment He dodged a brace of drives which, it seemed, would have felled a horse, so great was the effort behind them, nnd then, feinting, sent In a slashing upper cut The great flst landed squarely on the point of Iten’s Jaw, lifted him from his feet and sent him reeling, clawing the air, over on his bock again. Elliott was dazed by that blow. Bells clanged thunderously In his ears and lights flashed and flickered before his eyes but as he crashed down to the floor, Bird-Eye’s voice, shrill nnd frantic, cut through the fog that had folded over him: "Th’ boots! . . . Th* boots!” Boots, yes. Bull Duval did not fling himself on his prostrate ad versnry, this time. Erect, he strode forward two measured paces . . . three, and on the fourth he bent backward from the hips, lifted his right foot and raked It out before him; raked those many spikes in the sole straight at the face of his fallen adversary. But his river hoot only swung across the place wtiere a face had been One lone spike ripped the skin over the cheek hone; a com panion left n bright red trace Ben had Jerked his head sideways, moved It that quarter Inch which left hts face still a face nnd not a mass of raw flesh ribbons. Duval teetered on his left foot, nopplng for balance nnd cursing be cause he had missed, ns Ben, reel Ing to his feet,, shouted: "Keep out! My tight!” He ^ad seen, ns he came erect, Bird-Eye Blaine leap for the wood box and grasp the heavy Iron poker. "My tight!” he repeated nnd his hoarse voice was commanding. (TO BE nOVTIHUMD.* Short Separation May Calm Matrimonial Sea The difficulties that wreck domestic happiness and bring husbands and wives to divorce courts have been discussed by Hubert S. Howe, M. D., in Good Housekeeping. The snne way to save marriage, he says. Is by thoroughly understanding the hazards that threaten it, and preventing as many as you can, by common sense. “If an actual clash has occurred,” he advises, “it may help you both to separate for a short time. Go to quiet spots where you can think things out. In the Interim let each of you call up every fine trait of the rnnn or woman yon married, his or her diffi culties, and the courage and patience with which they have been met. Let your thoughts dwell on the good times you have had together. “Don’t go where you will run Into temptation—an unscrupulous man or woman who wants to create a tri angle, or a mother who eggs on the conflict. Stay apart only long enough to regain poise. Then come back—to each other, to the home that belongs to you both, to the love tlmt Is there, If you will recognize it—always wait ing.'’ Week’s Supply of Postum Free Head the offer made by the Postum Company In another part of this pa per. 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