The Struggle of the Outliers Page: 200
[16], 107-208, [44] p., [3] leaves of plates : ill., some col. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this prose (fiction).
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square thing to try to prevent her
from doing what she prefers to
ido ? If it had not been for your
interference I would have had her
long ago."
" For five cents," pursued the
unmoved Mr. Conlan, lowering his
terms. "I'd knock your block off."
Into Ilolcombe's eye there came
the light of desperate resolve. He saw but one wayv
to clear the obstacles from his path
"I am told," hlie said quietly and firmly, "that you
are a fighter. Your mind seems to dwell upon physi-
cal combat a' the solution to all questions. Now.
(Conlan, I'm nio scrapper, hut I'll fight you to a finish
any time within the next three minutes to see who
gets the girl. If I win she goes with me. If you win
you have your way, and I'll not trouble her again.
Are you game '"
Danny Conlan's hard, blue eyes looked a sudden ad-
miration.
"You're all right," lihe conceded with grutff candor.
"I didn't think you was that sort. You're all right.
It's a dead fair sporting prop., and I'm your company.
I'll stand by the results accordin' to terms. ('ome on,
and I'll show you where it can be pulled off. You're
all right."
Katie tried to interfere, but Danny silenced her.
He led Holcombe down the hill to a deep gully that
sheltered them from view. Night was just closing in
upon the twilight. They laid aside their coats and
halls. Here was a situation in the methodical exist-
ence of Lawrence Iolcombe, real estate and bondl
broker, representative business man of unquestionable
habits and social position ! Fighting with a profes-
sional tough in a gully in a squalid settlement for the
daughter of an Irish washerwioman !
The comrlat was a short one. If it had lasted
longer, IIolcombe would have Iost, for both his wind
and his science had deteriorated from long lack of
training. T'Ierefore, he forced the lighting from the
start. It is diliicult to say to what he owed his vic-
tory over tle once champion middleweight. One
thing in his favor was that AIr. Conlan's nerve andi
judgment had been somewhat shattered by the effects
of a recent spree. Another must have been that Hol-
combe was stimulated to supreme exertion by an
absorbing incentive to win-a prompting more power-
ful than the instinct of the gladiator, deeper than all
the motives of gallantry, and more important than tihe
vital influence of love itself. A third fortuitous ad-
junct was, without doubt, a chance blow upon the
projecting chin of the middleweight, under which
that warrior sank t to the gully's grime anid remained
incapable, while Holcombe stood above him and lei-
surely counted him out.S MAGAZINE
Danny got shakily to his feet,
and proved to be a true sport.
"You're all right," he said.
" But if we'd had it by rounds
'twould have ended different.
The girl goes with you, do you
see ? I'm on the square."
They climbed back to the cot-
tage.
"It's settled," announced Hlcombe. "Mr. Conlan
removes his objections.-
" That's straight," said Danny. " lIe's all right."
Holcombe had only a scratched and slightly red-
dened chin from a vicious, glancing uppercut from
Danny's left. Danny showed punishment. One eye
was nearly closed. His lip was bleeding.
Katie was a true woman. Such do not at once
crown the victor in the tourney for their favor. Pity
comes first. The victor must wait for his own. It
will come to him. She flew to the vanquished cham-
pion and comforted him, ministering to his bruises.
Holcombe stood, serene and smiling, without jealousy.
"To-morrow," lie said to Katie, with head erect and
beaming eyes.
"To-morrow, if you like," answered Katie.
IIolonmble minced his precarious way up the ragged
hill among the obsolete tinware. His car came along
a-glitter with electric lights and jammed with passen-
gers. He jumped to the rear phltform and stood
there. At his side lie found Weatherly, a friend and
neighbor, who had also built a house in the suburbs, a
few squares from Iris own.
" Hello, Iolcombe," yelled Weatherly, above the
crash iof the car. "lBeen looking over some real es-
tate uilt here? IIni'l'e Mrs. Ilolombe and the
young II's?"
" First rate," shouted I!ioloube. " when I left home
this morning. How's the family with you?"t
" Oh, only-so-so. Usual suburban troubles. Servants
won't stay so far out ; tradesmen object to delivering
goods in the country; cars break down, etc. What's
pleasing you so? Made a lucky deal to-day ?"
Iolcombe's face wore an ecstatic look. Ie was fin-
gering ai little scratch on h!is chin with one hand. He
leaned his head towards Weatherl's ear.
"Say, Bob, do you reemember that Irish girl, Katie
Flynn, that was ith the Spaffords so long a time ?"
"I've heard of her," said lWeatherl'v. "They say
she staved a year with them without ai single day off.
But I don't believe any fairy story like that."
"'Twas a fact. W ell, I engaged her to-day for a
cook. She's going out to the house to-morrow."
" Confound you for a lucky dog," shouted Weatherly,
with envy in his tones and his heart, " and you live
four blocks further out than we do !"
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Reference the current page of this Prose (Fiction).
Henry, O., 1862-1910. The Struggle of the Outliers, prose (fiction), August 1902; New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth139427/m1/4/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.