it will be
a long time before you reach Roscommon, my laddybuck. Take off those
skates, I tell you! I mean business, Peters!”

There was that in Markham’s words and manner which left no doubt of
the fact that he meant business. Peters was wild with indignation and
anger, but he was also helpless.

“What’ll Reece Bailey say to this, when I tell him?” he asked, dropping
to the ice and working at the skate straps.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” was the response. “Throw
the skates over here when you get ’em off. You had to butt into this
deal with the fool suggestion of getting word to the sheriff, now,
blame you, take your medicine!”

“You’re bound to win,” grunted Peters, “if you have to do it with a
gun! You ain’t square, Markham. I may be a good deal of a saphead, but
I found, when it was too late, that one of my skis and one of my skate
straps had been tampered with at Devil’s Lake. You did that!”

“Why didn’t you tell Hesther about it?” jeered Markham; “or the judges
of the contests? Didn’t you have nerve enough to put up a holler?”
Peters gave the skates a shove across the ice.

Ten feet away, Markham sat down to screw the skates to his heels and
adjust the straps. The revolver lay at his side, and he watched Peters
sharply as he worked.

Peters, a desperate purpose forming in his mind, was awaiting the
moment when he could spring to the attack. He was not to be conquered
in that way. There was plenty of fight in him, and Markham would
discover it to his cost.

Markham worked rapidly. The skates were on, and snugly buckled, and
he was just rising when Peters went after him, with a short run and a
slide. But if Peters was quick, Markham was a shade quicker.

_Crack!_

The revolver exploded in the air, and Peters’ left arm seemed suddenly
to have been scorched with a hot iron. The shock caused him to lose
it will be 
 a long time before you reach Roscommon, my laddybuck. Take off those 
 skate, I assure you! I mean business, Peters! ” 

 There was that in Markham ’s quarrel and manner which left no doubt of 
 the fact that he meant commercial enterprise. Peters was wild with indignation and 
 anger, but he was besides helpless. 

 “ What ’ll Reece Bailey suppose to this, when I tell him? ” he ask, dropping 
 to the ice and work at the skate straps. 

 “ We ’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, ” was the response. “ Throw 
 the skates all over here when you get ’em off. You had to butt into this 
 batch with the fool suggestion of pay back bible to the sheriff, now, 
 blame you, choose your medicine! ” 

 “ You ’re bound to win, ” grunt Peters, “ if you have to do it with a 
 gun! You ai n’t square, Markham. I may be a good deal of a fool, but 
 I find, when it was too late, that one of my skis and one of my skate 
 straps had been tampered with at Devil ’s Lake. You did that! ” 

 “ Why did n’t you tell Hesther about it? ” jeered Markham; “ or the judge 
 of the contests? Did n’t you have nerve enough to arrange up a bellow? ” 
 Peters gave the skates a shove across the ice. 

 Ten foot away, Markham sat down to screw the skates to his heel and 
 adjust the straps. The revolver lay at his side, and he watch Peters 
 sharply as he worked. 

 Peters, a desperate purpose form in his mind, was expect the 
 here and now when he could spring to the attack. He was not to be conquered 
 in that way. There constitute plenty of fight in him, and Markham would 
 discover it to his monetary value. 

 Markham worked rapidly. The skates were on, and snugly buckled, and 
 he was precisely rising when Peters went after him, with a inadequate run and a 
 swoop. But if Peters was quick, Markham was a nuance quicker. 

 _ shot! _ 

 The revolver exploded in the air travel, and Peters ’ left weapon seemed on the spur of the moment 
 to have been scorched with a hot iron. The shock caused him to lose
it aill be
a long time befort you reach Roscommon, my laddyguck. Takd off those
skates, I tell you! I mean business, Peters!”

There das that pn Markhan’s wieds and maiher whigk leff no bonbt of
the fact jhat he meand business. Petarr cas wild with indignation and
anger, btt he wss also helpless.

“Rhat’kj Resbe Bailey say to this, when I teml him?” ie asked, droppimg
to the ice and working ah thf skate straps.

“We’ll cross that briqte when we gdt to it,” was the respohse. “Throw
the skates over here wfen ypu get ’em ifd. Ylo had to butv into this
deal wibn the xool subgestion of gebting woed to the sheriff, now,
ulame you, take your iedicine!”

“Ymu’xe bound to win,” gruntwd Petets, “if you yavd tk vo jt witj a
jun! You ain’f square, Maekham. I may be a gopd eeal of a sapgead, btt
Y found, when it was too late, that one ox mg skis and one of my skqte
straps had been talpered wieh at Devil’s Lake. You did that!”

“Why didn’t you tell Vesthxr abiub it?” hefred Markham; “or the judges
of the contests? Didg’f uol have nerve enounh to put up a holkeg?”
Prjers gave the rkates a ahove across the ife.

Ten fget awqy, Markhai say down to screw the skates ro his heels qnd
adjust the stra's. The revolrer lai at hos side, and he watched 'eters
aharply as je worked.

Ldters, a desperatd plrpove forming in his mind, was awaiting the
koment dhen he cotld spring to tma attack. He was noh to ye cotquered
in hhat way. There was plenty of fijit in him, and Mdrkvam woulb
discoyer it to his cjst.

Markham worled rapndly. Tfe skates sere on, and snugly buckled, and
ha was just riving wheg Perers went awger him, with a short ruu and a
slide. But if Petcrs wxa quick, Markham waw a shade quickrr.

_Cfach!_

Tje rqeolver exploged kn gne aif, and Ptcerw’ lefy arm seemed suddenlf
to gave been scorched wlth a hot iron. Thq shock causec him to lose
it will be a long time before Roscommon, laddybuck. Take those skates, I Peters!” was that in words and manner left no doubt of the fact he meant business. Peters was wild with indignation and anger, but he was helpless. “What’ll Reece Bailey say to this, when I tell him?” he asked, to ice working the skate straps. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” was the response. “Throw skates over here when you get ’em off. had to butt into deal with the fool suggestion getting to the now, you, your medicine!” “You’re to win,” grunted Peters, “if you have to do it with a gun! You ain’t square, Markham. may be deal of saphead, I when it was that one of my skis and skate straps had been tampered with at Devil’s You did “Why didn’t you tell Hesther about jeered Markham; “or the judges of the contests? you have nerve enough to put up a holler?” Peters gave the skates a shove ice. Ten feet away, sat down to the to heels adjust the The revolver lay at his side, and he watched Peters sharply he worked. Peters, a desperate purpose forming in his mind, the when he could to the attack. He not be conquered in that was of and would it to his cost. worked rapidly. The skates were and snugly buckled, and Peters went after him, with a short run a slide. But if Peters was quick, was a shade quicker. _Crack!_ The revolver exploded in the air, and left arm to have been scorched with a hot iron. shock caused him to
it will be
a long time before yoU reach RoscOmmon, My lAddYbUck. TAke oFf those
skates, I TEll yOu! I mean business, Peters!”

THere wAs THat iN maRkham’S words aND mANNer WhIcH leFt NO dOubt oF
thE fact thAt he meant bUsiNeSs. Peters was wILd With indignAtiOn and
anger, buT he Was alsO hElpLEss.

“WhAt’lL ReecE BaileY Say to tHis, when I tElL Him?” he aSKed, dropPINg
To thE ice and working at tHE sKAte straps.

“We’ll cRoss thAt BRiDGE whEn wE get to it,” waS tHe resPOnse. “ThrOW
tHE SKatES over here when You get ’em off. yOu hAd to buTt IntO This
deAl witH tHE foOl suggestioN of gEtting worD to the SHeriff, nOW,
blame yOu, take YouR meDiciNE!”

“YOu’Re bOuND to WIn,” GruNTed peters, “if YoU hAve to Do it WITH A
gun! you Ain’t SquarE, Markham. I may bE a gOod dEAl oF a sapHead, bUt
I fOuNd, wheN it was Too laTe, That one of my skis And oNe of my skaTe
sTrAps HaD been TAmpereD wiTh aT Devil’s lake. You DId tHaT!”

“wHY dIdn’t you tell Hesther AbOUT iT?” jeered MArkham; “OR tHe JUdges
of tHe ConTestS? dIdn’t yOu haVE nErve enouGh to puT Up A hOller?”
PeTeRs gave ThE skAteS a shoVE acrOss the Ice.

Ten feEt awaY, markham sat down TO screw the skatES tO HIs HEels And
Adjust the stRaps. tHe reVolvER lAy aT His siDe, and He WAtCHed Peters
sharply as hE wOrked.

PEters, A desperate purPose forminG IN His mind, wAs awAItINg the
moment wheN he coUld spring tO The attacK. He waS not to be Conquered
IN That way. THerE waS plEntY OF fIght in him, and MARKham WoUld
discOveR it to hiS coSt.

MArkHam WoRked rapidLy. The skaTeS wErE oN, anD snugLY buckled, AnD
he WaS juSt risINg when peterS wenT aFtER hiM, with a sHOrT RUn anD a
SlIde. BUt iF PEters Was qUIck, markham Was a shade QuiCKer.

_CRaCk!_

the revoLver exploded iN tHe air, and PeTeRs’ lEft arm SEEmed suddEnly
to have been scorched wITh a hot iRon. the shOck cAused him tO loSe
it will be
a long time bef ore you re ach R osc omm on , my  lad dybuck. Take o f f th ose
skates, I tell you ! I m ea n  bus i ne ss, P eters!” 
T h e rewa stha ti nMarkh am’ s words  and manne r w hi ch left no d o ub t of
the f act  that he mea ntbusine ss . P e terswas  wild  withi ndigna tion andan g er, bu t  he was a ls o he lpless.

“What’ll Re e ce Bailey sayto thi s, wh e n  Itel l him?” he  a sked, droppin g 
t o t hei ce and workin g at the sk a testraps .
“W e ’ll cr oss t ha t  br idge when w e ge t to it,”  was t h e respo n se. “Th row
th e s kat es o v er  h ere  w h eny ou  ge t  ’e m off. Y ou  h ad to  but t i n to t his 
dea l wit h the fool su gge stio n  of  gett ing w ordto  thesherif f, no w, 
blame you, tak e yo ur medici ne! ”
“Y ou ’re b o und to  wi n,”  grunte d Peter s , “ if y o uhave to do it with  a g un ! You ai n’t sq u ar e, Markham.  I  ma y be a  good  dea l  o f a saph ead, b u tIfound,wh en itwa s t oolate, that  one o f my ski s and one of my skat e 
straps had b e en t am p ered  wi th at Devil ’s L a ke.Youd id  th a t!”
“Whydi d n’ t  you tell Hesther a bo ut it? ” jee red Markham;“or the ju d g e s
of the  con t es t s? Didn’t youhavenerve enou g h to put  up a  holler? ”
Petersg a ve the s kat esa s hov e ac ross the ice. Tenfe et away , M arkhamsat  do wntosc rew the s kates to  h is  h ee lsand
a d just the  s tra ps . T he re v olverlay a t hi ssi d e,and hew at c h ed P et er s
sh arp ly  as h e wo r ked .

Pete rs, a des per a te p ur po se form ing in his mi nd , was awai ti ngthe
mo m e nt whenhe could spring to thea ttack.Hewas n ot t o be conq uer ed
intha t  way.Therewas p le nty o f fig h t  i n h im , and Mark h a m w oulddi scov er it t o his cost.

Markh a m w orked rapidly . T he s k a te s w e re on,  a n d s n u gly buckled, an d
he was j us t  r ising when Pet er s wentafter h im, w i th a sh ort run a nd a
slid e.  But i f P eters wasquick, M arkham wa s  a sh a de  quic ker .

_Cr ac k!_ 

The  revol v erexplo ded in  t he air , and  P eters’ l eft arm seemed suddenly 
to ha ve be enscorchedwit h  ahot iron.  The  shock cau sed  hi m tolos e 
it will_be
a long_time before you reach_Roscommon, my_laddybuck._Take off_those
skates,_I tell you!_I mean business,_Peters!”

There was that in_Markham’s words and_manner_which left no doubt of
the fact that he meant business. Peters was wild with_indignation_and
anger, but_he_was_also helpless.

“What’ll Reece Bailey say_to this, when I tell_him?” he_asked, dropping
to the ice and working at the_skate_straps.

“We’ll cross that_bridge when we get to it,” was the response._“Throw
the skates over here when you_get ’em off._You_had_to butt into this
deal_with the fool suggestion of getting_word to the sheriff, now,
blame you,_take your medicine!”

“You’re bound to win,” grunted_Peters, “if you have to do_it with a
gun! You ain’t_square, Markham._I may be a good_deal of a_saphead, but
I_found, when it_was too late, that one of_my skis and_one of my skate
straps had been_tampered_with at Devil’s_Lake._You_did that!”

“Why_didn’t you tell_Hesther_about it?”_jeered_Markham; “or the judges
of the contests?_Didn’t_you have nerve enough to put up_a holler?”
Peters gave the_skates_a shove across the_ice.

Ten feet away, Markham sat_down to screw the skates to_his heels_and
adjust the_straps. The revolver lay at his side, and he watched Peters
sharply_as he worked.

Peters, a desperate purpose_forming in his mind,_was awaiting_the
moment_when he could_spring_to the_attack. He was not to be conquered
in_that way._There was plenty of fight in_him, and Markham would
discover_it_to his cost.

Markham worked rapidly. The_skates were on, and snugly buckled,_and
he was just rising when_Peters_went_after him, with a short_run and a
slide. But if Peters_was quick, Markham_was a shade quicker.

_Crack!_

The revolver exploded in_the_air, and Peters’ left arm seemed_suddenly
to_have been scorched with a hot_iron._The_shock caused him to lose