g-iron on Fred, he tried to take
it in his left hand for that purpose, but Fred's left interfered, and
the fellow felt as though his right arm would be broken.

Fred, pushed him out of the door, and he lost his balance as he went
through, and so fell to the ground.

As the man fell to the ground, just outside the door, the branding-iron
slipped from his hand. Then Fred jerked him up to his feet, and went at
him like a cyclone. Four or five blows on the chest caused him to go
down again.

Again Fred jerked the fellow up on his feet, and the second time beat
him down, until the fellow didn't have breath enough left in him to say
anything.

Fred let him lie there for about one minute, and then said:

"You wanted work or fight. I'll give you all the fight you want and
charge you nothing for it," and as soon as the fellow tried slowly to
get up, Fred dealt him another blow that laid him out for about five
minutes.

Hearing that the fight had ceased, Evelyn entered the other room to
assure the girls that Fred and Terry could take care of the fellow,
again came out, and looked at the scene going on outside.

"Brother," said she, "you are not going to kill him, are you?"

"No, I'm just going to let Fred manage him in his own way."

"Fred," she asked, "what are you going to do to him?"

"Go into the house, dear, and quiet those girls. I'm not going to shed
any blood or take a life."

She didn't follow his injunctions to go into the house, but she kept
quiet a while and watched them.

"Fred, have you killed him?" she asked presently, as she saw the man
lying like a dead man on the ground.

"No; I knocked him out, though, and am waiting for him to get his breath
back."

By and by the fellow began to breathe hard and groan.

Finally he opened his eyes and looked up at Fred.

"You wanted fight or work," sad Fred. "What do you want now?"

"Mister, I want to go as far away from here as I can."

"Well, why didn't you go when you had the chance?"

"Boss, I didn't know you then; but I do now."

"Well, get up and leave, and don't you waste a minute of time in getting
away."

The fellow got up and started off in the direction of the store.

His three companions had retreated to that place, and as soon as he
started, Fred followed him and assisted him in leaving by administering
kicks which raised him from the ground at least a foot at every kick.

Suddenly he drew a revolver from his pocket. It was strange that