Page:Honore Willsie--Judith of the godless valley.djvu/279

 in the church like Scott paid us for. And he said—"

But what the child intended to divulge was not to be known, for there was a bellow from the thickest of blue spruce and Sioux, with various chains and ropes dangling from his neck and legs, charged into the clearing. There was a sudden wild scattering of human beings. Judith whistled shrilly, but Sioux had been goaded beyond her control.

"Let me get my rope!" she cried.

"Hold up!" shouted Charleton. "Something's going to happen!"

The Mormon's bull had broken his halter and had turned to meet the on-coming Sioux. Sioux's bloodshot eyes fell on the stranger, and instantly the battle was joined. Snow flew. The buck fence crashed. The bulls bellowed, locked horns, retreated, charged, slipped, fell, rose again with a rapidity only equalled by the ferocity of the attack.

"They'll kill each other if they aren't stopped!" cried Fowler. "Stop them, Douglas! O God, what a place! What a place!"

"What a fight, you mean!" laughed Charleton. "I put up ten dollars on Sioux."

"Take you!" said Scott.

"If Spencer's bull kills mine, he'll pay for it!" cried Nelson.

"If they work into the corral," shouted Douglas, "some of you help me put up the fence again and we'll have them!"

"Well, but don't stop the fight." Young Jeff gesticulated excitedly. "I'm going to put up ten on Sioux!" "Take you!" said Scott.

Nelson's bull ripped Sioux's flank for six inches and blood spurted to the ground. Both the great heads were