The Trail of the Axe

Dave was thirty-two, but looked forty; for, in moulding his great, strong, ugly face, Nature had been less than kind to him. It isprobable, from his earliest, Dave had never looked less than tenyears older than he really was. Observing him closely, one had the impression that Nature hadset herself the task of equipping him for a tremendous struggle in thebattle of life; as though she had determined to make him invincible. Presuming this to have been her purpose, she set to work with aliberal hand. She gave him a big heart, doubtless wishing him to bestrong to fight and of a great courage, yet with a wonderful sympathyfor the beaten foe. She gave him the thews and sinews of aHercules, probably arguing that a man must possess a mightystrength with which to carry himself to victory. To give him suchphysical strength it was necessary to provide a body in keeping. Thus, his shoulders were abnormally wide, his chest was of amighty girth, his arms were of phenomenal length, and his legs weregnarled and knotted with muscles which could never be satisfactorilydisguised by the class of "store" clothes it was his frugal custom towear