lated life had suddenly been shut off,
Roaring Russell's body lost all energy, it seemed to flatten, lay
without a quiver.

Mormon got on his feet and stood to one side while Pardee counted off
the seconds that were only a grim parody. Russell's brain was
short-circuited. There was not even a tremor of his eyelids. Pardee
knelt, felt pulse and heart. Then he beckoned to the loser's seconds.

"Come and get your man," he told them. "He's through for this evening."

Pandemonium broke loose as the crowd broke formation and surged down.
Four men packed off Roaring Russell, limp and sagging between them.
Pardee exhibited the chunk of ore, stained with Mormon's blood, while
Sandy, Sam and Westlake ramparted Mormon from enthusiastic admirers and
pushed down to the creek where he washed his hurts with the stinging icy
water and stiffly put on his clothes.

"Knew he was licked and figured he might get away with it," declared
Pardee. "Lucky it didn't split his head open." Murmurs gathered force
against the bully's methods.

"Cut out the lynching talk, boys," cried Pardee. "The man's been beaten
up. I wouldn't wonder if his jaw was bu'sted. His nose is. Let him go;
we'll see that he leaves the camp as soon as he can hobble." He broke
through to Mormon, being assisted into his coat by Sandy. "How are you
standing up, old bearcat?" asked the referee. "I thought he had you
nipped once but you walloped him."

"Me? I'm jest about standin' up, an' that's all," said Mormon, gingerly
feeling certain places on his face. "I sure thought it was my brains
oozin' when he swiped me with that rock. But my bone's pritty solid in
the head, I reckon. I don't mind tellin' you-all I'm feelin' a good deal
like a bass drum at the end of a long parade, but I believe it's all on
the outside. And I ain't entered for any beauty show--at present."

"Eleven minutes of straight fighting by the watch," said a man.

Mormon looked at him humorously, and one-eyed.

"Seemed mo' like 'leven hours to me." He caught sight of Simpson,
holding out a flask. "Now that's what I call a friend," he started, his
hand outstretched. Then it dropped and a blank look came over his face.

"Let's git out of this," he murmured to Sandy. "Dern me if I didn't
plumb forgit about any chance of her showin' up."

"Here's where you git called a hero," said Sam. "She knows what you've
been fightin' erbout. More'n that she's been in the crowd for the last
five minnits of the scra