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Frank Merriwell Down South, a novel by Burt L. Standish |
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Chapter 40. A Jealous Lover |
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_ CHAPTER XL. A JEALOUS LOVER The attack was so sudden and fierce that the boy was hurled to the ground before he could make a move to protect himself. "You shall not have her!" hissed a voice in his ear. A hand fastened on his throat, pinning him fast. The man's knee crushed into his stomach, depriving him of breath. The man's other hand snatched out something, and lifted it aloft. A knife was poised above Frank's heart, and in another moment the blade would have been buried to the hilt in the lad's bosom. Without uttering a sound, Kate Kenyon grasped the wrist of the murderous-minded man, gave it a wrench with all her strength, which was not slight, and forced him to drop the knife. "You don't murder anybody, Wade Miller!" she panted. "I'll choke ther life outen him!" snarled the fellow, as he tried to fasten both hands on Frank's throat. By this time the boy had recovered from the surprise and shock, and he was ready to fight for his life. Kate grasped the assailant by the collar, and, with astonishing strength, pulled him off the prostrate lad. In the twinkling of an eye, Frank came to his feet, and he was ready for a new assault. Snarling and growling like a mad dog, the man scrambled up and lunged toward the boy, trying to grasp him. Frank was a skillful boxer, and now his skill came into play, for he dodged under the man's right arm, whirled like a cat, and struck the fellow behind the ear. Spat! sounded the blow, sending the assailant staggering, and Frank followed it up by leaping after him and striking him again, the second blow having the force of the lad's strength and the weight of his body. It seemed that the man was literally knocked "spinning," and he did not stop till he landed in the creek. "Wal," exclaimed the girl, "I 'low you kin take keer o' yerself now!" "I rather think so," came coolly from the boy. "He caught me foul, and I did not have a show at first." "Look out fer his gun." "I will. Who is he?" "Wade Miller." Frank whistled. It was a case of jealousy, and he had aroused the worst passions of the man who admired Kate Kenyon. Miller came scrambling and snorting from the water, and Barney Mulloy rushed toward the spot, crying: "Pwhat's th' row, Frankie, me b'y? Do ye nade inny av me hilp?" "I think not. So far, I am all right, thanks to Miss Kenyon." "An' you kin fight!" breathed the mountain maid, in sincere admiration. "I didn't s'pose city chaps knowed how ter fight." "Some do," laughed Frank, keeping his eyes on Miller. "I'll have his life!" panted the man, springing toward Frank, and then halting suddenly, and throwing up his hand. "Look out!" screamed the girl. "He's got a pistol!" Frank knew this well enough, and he was expecting just such a move, so it happened that the words had scarcely left the girl's lips when the revolver was sent flying from Wade Miller's hand. The boy had leaped forward, and, with one skillful kick, disarmed his foe by knocking the weapon out of his hand. Miller seemed dazed for a moment, and then he started for Frank, once more grinding his teeth. "Oh, let me take a hand in this!" cried Barney Mulloy, who was eager for a fight. "Me blud is gittin' shtagnant." "Keep away!" ordered Frank. "I can look out for myself." "I'll kill ye! I'll kill ye!" snarled the infuriated man. "Well, you have tried that trick twice, but I do not see that you have succeeded to any great extent." "I'll hammer yer life out o' yer carcass with my bare hands!" "Possibly that will not be such a very easy trick to do." The boy's coolness seemed to add to the fury of his assailant, and the man made another rush, which was easily avoided by Frank, who struck Miller a stinging blow. "You'd better stop, Wade," advised the girl. "He-uns is too much fer you-uns, an' that's plain enough." "Oh, I'll show ye--I'll show ye!" There was no longer any reason in the man's head, and Frank saw that he must subdue the fellow some way. Miller was determined to grapple with the boy, and Frank felt that he would find the mountaineer had the strength of an ox, for which reason he must keep clear of those grasping hands. For some moments Frank had all he could do to avoid Miller, who seemed to have grown stolid to the lad's blows. At last, Frank darted in, caught the man behind, lifted him over one hip, and dashed him headlong to the ground. Miller lay still, stunned. "Wal, that's the beatenest I ever saw!" cried Kate Kenyon, whose admiration for Frank now knew no bounds. "You-uns is jes' a terror!" Barney laughed. "Whoy, thot's fun fer Frankie," he declared. Miller groaned, and sat up, lifting his hands to his head, and looking about him in a dazed way. "What's happened ter me?" he asked, speaking thickly. "Ye run ag'in' a fighter this time, Wade," said the girl. "He done ye, an' you-uns is ther bully o' these parts!" "It was an accident," mumbled the man. "I couldn't see ther critter well, an' so he kinder got----" "That won't go, Wade," half laughed the girl. "He done you fa'r an' squar', an' it's no us' ter squawk." "An' ye're laffin' 'bout it, be ye, Kate? Wal, I ain't done with him." The girl became serious instantly. "Better let him erlone, Wade. You-uns has made fool enough o' yerself. Ye tried ter kill me, an'----" "What I saw made me do it!" grated the man. "He war makin' love ter ye, Kate--an' you-uns liked it!" "Wal, Wade Miller, what is that ter you-uns?" she haughtily demanded. "He has a right ter make love ter me ef he wants ter." "Oh, yes, he has a right, but his throat'll be slit before long, mark what I say!" "Ef anything o' that kind happens, Wade Miller, I'll know who done it, an' I swa'r I'll never rest till I prove it agin' ye." "I don't keer, Kate," muttered the man, getting on his feet and standing there sulkily before them. "Ef I can't hev ye, I sw'ar no other critter shall!" "Be keerful, Wade Miller! I've stood all I kin from you, an' from now on I don't stan' no more. Arter this you-uns an' me-uns ain't even friends." He fell back a step, as if he had been struck a blow, and then he hoarsely returned: "All right, Kate. But I'll stick ter my oath. I ain't ter be thrown aside so easy. As fer them city chaps, ther maountings ain't big enough ter hold them an' me. Wade Miller has some power, an' I wouldn't give a snap for their lives. The Black Caps don't take ter strangers much, an' they know them critters is hyar. I'm goin' now, but that don't need ter mean that I'll stay away fer long." He turned, and, having picked up his revolver, strode away into the darkness, quickly disappearing. Kate's trembling hand fell on Frank's arm, and she panted into his ear: "You-uns must git out o' ther maountings quick as you kin, fer Wade Miller means what he says, an' he'll kill ye ef you stay hyar!" _ |
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