The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-02
THE TEXAN DUEL.

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ID s THE TEXAN DUEL.
"Put down that knife, or the conse-
quence be on your own head. Put it
down, say" and the hand of the
speaker slowly and deliberately raised a
It was i very anxious moment for the
lockers on. One of che combatants was
brawny rufian, upon whose face was
stamped all the evil passions of the hu-
man race. Black haired, black bearded,
black eyed, and strong enough to have
felled an, OK. with single blow of his
fist The other was d pale, slender, In
7tellectual-l looking Young man.. boy al
most, with light curls and complexion,
and blue eyes. .
The scene was in the little town of
y Washington, on the Brazos River, in
Texas. and the time midnight
s'Do yer know, who yer talking, to,
boy?" was the coarse and uneduoated
answer of Luke benton, than whom no
gambler in that vicinity was more de-
tested and feared, e, - ~
"A man TO whom land not without res-
sony was imputed every crime-even that
Of murder; who was an unfailing shot
. with the pistol and rife, and unmatched
in skill with that strictly border weapon
the bowis-knife. "A short residence in
that locality bad given him reputation
as aiduefist, afor the long grass OF the
Tampas covered the forms Of two who
had fallen by his, hand. Where he came
from, no one knew, and he was particu-
lafly, reticent about his former life.
Still, it was whispered behind his back
for no one was foolhardy enough to say
it to his face-that he was one of the
very few who escaped from the terrible
justice of ''Natchez under the hill,
when the outraged citizens awoke in
their wrath. and took speedy vengeance
in their hands. Be that as 1t might, he
bad to need no additions even where the
great majority of crimes were looked
upon lightly-making Texas in its in.
fancy the paradise of scoundrels.
" OF the other, his boy antagonist, even
less was known. It was but two days
since his arrival, and he had come on
horseback, and alone OF his business,
he had nothing to say, but his suave
manner, and quiet, gentlemanly deport-
ment lad already made him friends
among the better portion Of the sparse
population.
Very much to their surprise, there
fore, was it that they had seen him en-
ter into o contest at cards with the great
professional gamester, Benton, confident
that he would either be cheated or bull
lied out tof his money, in case he was
sVcoessfrlL which was almost beyond the
/ range of possibility. =
But for two hours the game had been
progressing, the gambler. getting more
angry at every deal, and tho youth keepl
ing perfectly cool, and breathing taunt-
ing words, as if his object was still fur
thar to provoke him. If it was his pur:
pose to do so, he was more than success.
fdl. for Benton had suddenly sprung to
his feet and drawn his heavy knife, with
an oath upon his lips and murder Aash-
ngfrom his eyes. - .-S, !.
"Put down that knife, ',again repeated
the young man, Mark Whiteman, as he
had given all TO understand was his
name. 'Put 1t down. No one but q
coward and cheat would attempt to use
such fatal arguments lin q simple game of
chance" .,,..
SER rcheat. r. thundered Ben
ton, with all his wrath aroused. "By
heaven, I'll make yer eat yer words"
''Epr fear you do notfally understand,
will repeat them. !"
eyer dare tnotP was hissed from the
more than tightly Impressed lips a.
Coward! cheat! I dare say anything
to Que like you"
Coward er gin?" and his knife flashed
more wildly around SaiiasS} &Isss0
In vain the others interfered! y They
cared little for the pre- essionaI and bru.
tai gamester, but they did for young
Whitsman, and could notitut be sur.
prised at the almost subliihity of his
GOODNESS and brayery, even though he
was counting his own death. III n,
Something In the manner Of the young
man, too, appeared TO deeply impress
his antagonist, who had never before re-
strained his hand from swift vengeance