THE FIGHTER THE FIGHTER BY ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE AUTHOR OF “CALEB CONOVER, RAILROADER,” “DR. DALE,” “THE WORLD’S GREAT EVENTS,” ETC. NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE _Entered at Stationers’ Hall_ _All rights reserved_ TO MY KINDEST, SEVEREST CRITIC, MY WIFE SO MUCH OF THIS BOOK AS MAY BE WORTHY HER APPROVAL IS DEDICATED CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. CALEB CONOVER WINS 9 II. THE GIRL 23 III. CALEB CONOVER FIGHTS 37 IV. CALEB CONOVER EXPLAINS 53 V. AN INTERLUDE 63 VI. CALEB CONOVER RUNS AWAY 72 VII. THE BATTLE 81 VIII. CALEB CONOVER STORMS A RAMPART 100 IX. A LESSON IN IGNORANCE 121 X. IN THE HOUSE OF RIMMON 134 XI. A PEACE CONFERENCE 151 XII. INTO AN UNKNOWN LAND 161 XIII. MOONLIGHT AND MISTAKES 185 XIV. CALEB CONOVER TAKES AN AFTERNOON OFF 196 XV. CALEB CONOVER LIES 209 XVI. DESIRÉE MAKES PLANS 224 XVII. THE DUST DAYS 233 XVIII. CALEB CONOVER GIVES A READING LESSON 245 XIX. ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD 259 XX. CALEB “OVERLOOKS A BET” 273 XXI. FOREST MADNESS 286 XXII. CALEB CONOVER RECEIVES NEWS 321 XXIII. “THE STRONG ARM OF CHRIST” 337 XXIV. THE LAST FIGHT 352 CAST OF CHARACTERS CALEB CONOVER, _a self-made man who glorifies his maker_. AMZI NICHOLAS CAINE, _a young newspaper owner afflicted with certain ideas_. JACK HAWARDEN, _a youth who issues drafts on future literary fame_. REUBEN STANDISH, _decayed branch of a once-mighty family tree_. BLACARDA, _an exception to the rule concerning honor among financiers_. SAUL, _a derelict_. CLIVE STANDISH, _a victim of “home rule.”_ BILLY SHEVLIN, _a more or less typical small boy_. THE REV. MR. GRANT, _a minister of the Gospel_. DR. BOND, _a country physician_. STEVE MARTIN, _an Adirondack guide_. JOHN HAWARDEN, SR., } FEATHERSTONE, } _Pillars of the_ VROOM, } _Arareek Country Club._ DILLINGHAM, } A LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER. A LOCOMOTIVE FIREMAN. A STATION AGENT. DESIRÉE SHEVLIN, _the girl_. LETTY STANDISH, _the other girl_. MRS. STANDISH, _whose attitudes are all beatitudes_. MRS. HAWARDEN, _a chaperone for revenue only_. SCENE: The City of Granite, the State Capital, Magdeburg Village, and the Adirondacks. THE FIGHTER CHAPTER I CALEB CONOVER WINS