The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-03-09
Volume l2-Number 40

walked back to the stand, and care.
lessly swinging his heavy rifle from
his shoulder, fired seemingly as quick
as thought. Its a trick of mine
said he, moving towards the mark as
he lowered his gun; Il caught IL from
shootin' rarmints in the eyes; always
take en- there. It's notion I've
got--lts my run.' They oil ran en-.
gerry to the target, aud sure enough
his ball, which was larger than
liinch S had passed through the same
hole widening il?
"He's humbug! It's all accident!
He can't do it again !! shouted the
rutlian turning pale, till his lips look
cd blue, as the board was held up.
OH bet the ears of n Buffalo cali
against his that he can't do it again!
III YOU mean by that, TO bet your
ears agin mine, take you up!" said
Jack, laughing, while the rest could
not help joining him. Hinch glanced
around him with fierce, chafed look,
before which those who knew him
best qualed and with compressed
lips silently loaded his gun. A new
target was put, at which, after long
and cfrclul aim, lie fired. The shot
was fine one. The edge of the ball
had just broken the centre. Jack,
after looking at it, quietly remarked:
"Plumping the centre is my fash.
ion; I'll show you q knack or two
Capt. llinch, about the clear thing in
shooting. Give us another board
there, boys"
Another was set up, and after
throwing out his gun on the level, in
the same rapid careless style as be.
fore, he fred and when the eager
crowd around the target announced
that he had driven the centre cross
clear out, he turned upon his heel,
and with pleasant nod to Hinch,
started To walk oir The rullian call.
ed hoarscly after him:
81 thought you were n d---d
coward! You have made two good
shots by accident, and now you sneak
OF to brag that you've beat me-
Come back sir. You cant shoot be.
tore mu2zle rs trucw
Jack walked on without noticing
This mortal insult and challenge,
while ilinch laughed tauntingly loud
and long--jeering him with cXulting
bitterness as long as he could make
himself heard, ~ ~ flash in the pan,
n dnnghill cock, VINO had spread his
white feather, while the men who
had been surprised into n respect for
Long, and were now still more as
tonishod at what they considered his
backing out, joined clamorously in
hooting his retreat.
The fools They made q fatal mis-
take ia supposinp he left the insult
unrcsgDtcd from any fear Of himself.
Jack Long had young and pretty
wife nj home, aud his love Tor her
was stronger than his resentment for
his own indignily. His passions were
slow, and had never been fully rous-
ed--nonc of them at least but this
love, and that presented her instantly
iOrlorn and distracted, with her little
ones in this wild country, should he
throw away his life with such dies.
perato odds; and seeing the turn the
affair was likely to ttalie, hc had pru
dcntly determined to get away before
it had gone too far. But had any OF
those men seen that spasm of agony
which sliycrcd across his massive
features as these jibing voices rang
upon his ear in insult, which no proud
free hunter might endure, they would
have taken tue hint to beware OF
chaIing the silent foaming bear any
longer.
This was an i'll starred day for
Jack, though; from this day trou-
bles began to thickcn about him.
rhe very tenor of his happy, simple
life was destroyed, aud indignity
followed zach other fast. Hinch new
er lorgaye the unlucky skill which
had robbed him of his prou1est
boast, THAT Of being the hest marks
man on the frontier, and he swore
in base vindictiyc hate TO dog him to
death, or make him leave the coun b.
try. Soon after this valuable horse.
belonging to rich and powerful
man, disappeared. He was one ol
those men WHO had compromised with
the Regulators, paying 50 much black
mail for exemption from their dcpre-
1ations, and protection against 9th.
ers of the same stamp; and he now
applied to liinch for the recovery
Of his horse and the punishment OF
the thief This Hinch, under con
tract, W. bound to do, and promised
TO accomplish it forthwith. lie and
some Of his men went OF on the trail
Of the missing horse, and, returning
next day, announced that they found
it by their skill, through great many
evidently intended to
throw off pursuit, and had at last
tracked ii to Jack Longs picket fence
and there could be 10 doubt that ho
was the thief. The planter knew
Of Jack, but that he was a
new. conner, and demanded that he
should be forced TO give up the horse,
and punished to the extent of the
frontier code But this was not
Ilinch's policy yet awhile. He knew
the proofs were not strong enough to
make the charge plausible, even be
fore Lynch court, Of which he him
self was both the prosecutor, judge
aud eXecutionor. His object was TO
first get mp 4 hue and cry against
Long, and under cover of Il genera