Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-01-30

toward the river; we followed close behind,
When Jim arrived at the river bank, be
swerved suddenly from his course, and
tumbled the elk on the very edge Of the
water, whore he was dispatched by one ol
the men, whom Jim called Colonel Casey.
now received a cordial greeting and
an invitation to dine with them. W.
turned our horses loose 70 iced, and msill
eaoh uther's acquaintance over elk stake
in true 40" style. My new acquaint.
auce' names were James Gruwell, Colonel
Casey, and Blair. They had gone on,
from -Homocelly Bannho for some sport
and this was the result. They were socia,
ble, COED hearted fellows. but Casey and
Blair seemed to have q mutual ill-will
.hey were surly and cross in all they bad
to fay to each other, and noticed tina,
each eyed the other with look Of distrus,
and hatred. At length, when the elk
steaks and I'LL the small talk, as we'll as
we'll as sporting had been discussed, Blair
got up and strobe out toward tho horses,
and presently saw hi,u stoop down and
pick up something from the ground that
glittered in the sunlig hit. I had noticed il
before, but though it was broken whis.
Ky bottle, Of which thore were many
scattered over ths plain, having been left
there BY miners and others, who, constant.
~ passed that way. lie examined il
carefully, and then turned back toward US
bearing it in his hand.
II wonder what Blair has found ?'
queried Gruwell.
~An abalone shell, reckon he is al
ways gathering and examining such
things. l would be satisfied if he would
confne his attentions to geological re-
searches and lot me and my affairs alone,' y
Eanswered Casey.
*What injury has he done you 7" asked
Gruwell.
ale has injured me in a way that
nothing but his foul life can cancel. Be.
tore he came into this valley with his pol.
ished manners and pretty lace l had the
undivided attention of F. c.; but things
are different now, as you know.;' By this
time Blair had reached US, bearing in bis
hand revolver, heavily gold and silver
mounted, and ornamented; but it bore
traces Of having long been exposed 10 the
elements; its barrel and cylinder were
tarnished and filed with sand, which
would have taken q long time to accumu.
late there. As soon as Casey saw it, he
arose to his feet and exclaimed, "Hallo
Blair! where did ysu come across my pis.
toll I lost it the day before yesterday
while in the chase of an antelope, and had
intended to 60 and look for it today, but
as YOU have saved me tho trouble, 1 will
just thank you and take possession"
"!Not quite 80 fast, Colonel. This il
not your pistol, for you ssy you lost yours
the lday before yesterday, and this II baa
evidently been !
upon it for year; and, here Is another
circumstance to contradict your assertion
|-another's name is engraved ON the
mounting" answered Blair, turning the
weapon over, and exposing to view, the
name and dale, "Georgs Wilson, 1882
cut deep in tho silver mounting.
IL don't care tinker's darn for the
name. guess know my pistol when |
sse it. Again I say it is mine, and war,
it," answered Casey angriiy.
at is net yours, and you shall not have
it. 1t is George Wilson's, for have
heard him speak Of losing it, and seemed
to regret its loss very much, not merely on
account of its intrinsic value, but because
it was made a'present to him by his Col
onel, during the Mexican war, and 10,
the many lively memories it revives Of the
olden time, within tho Dominions of the
Don. And intend to have the pleasure
Of restoring it to him a. soon rs conven.
ient," answered Blair decisively.
"Then you mean to insinuate that an
q liar, d. you ?"
,,..a ~ M meant ,s.. u't what 'aid-notbiDe
"And l will have your life for it, hiss.
ed Casey, drawing his revolver.
Jim sprang to bis feet, caught his re
volver and forced its muzzl downward
at the same time exciaimlng' my Goo
Casey, what would you do You are
letting your animosity carry you entirely
too fur. We don't want any shooting
here" Casey struggled desperately t.
free bis weapon, but all his efforts were
in vain, for he was held in the iron GRASP
Of Gruwe)l. He then changed his tao,
tics, and commenced abusing Blair; he
exhausted bis catalogue of oaths in Eng
lish, and then drew on his list Of ost6t
Spanish. This failing in its object, he, a.
last resource, accused him Of being q
coward and q scoundrel, which instantly
had the desired effect.
Biairs fingers twitched nervouslv al
the handle of his revolver, and ut length
he said in voice husky with rage. "Col.
Casey, l have taken more abuse and in.
suit from you since entered this valley
than any other man in California would
have done, and certainly much more than
l should have had not known the true
state of your mind. have hoped and
believed that by SO dong could avert a
meeting between US. But when l heard
tho terms coward aud scoundrel applied
to me, by you, who have been my fellow
campaigner for 90 long, and know how
utterly untrue the charge il, all nv reso-
lutions to resis: my true feeliugs have
been broken. If any other man had called
me coward l would not have iel. it half &c
much as when it came from yoa-you
who have battled by my side in all thu
terrible engagements we passed through
in Mexico. You forget the day that you
and l and young Haller fought side BY
side ON the far-fanled rocky height in
Mexico, and how We same three suffered
together in a Mexican Dungeon, and how
We were sentenced and made to draw 70,
our lives, and how you drew the black
bean, the penalty Of which was death, and
how Haller and offered to forfeit ou,
lives that yours might be splred. Yov
forget the day we were lying in the bunct
OF chapparral, surrounded by hordes o.
yelling savages, and how then and thert
we swore eternal fidelity and friendship t
each Other in the event of our escape
You forget all these things and call me ,
coward. But in reply do not call you q
coward. No. Colonel Casey you arr
not coward; you are brave man ant
in your bosom there beats as kind ani
true heart us ever beat in the breast o1
man. You have but one great fault. bu
that is IN objectionable one, for when un
dor its influence you would kill your bos
friend. Colonel Casey, dem md n
apology or IL meeting Of YOU Immediately
Grawell, you haves always been:my, friend
and his. too, believe. If you are still
tho best way 10 show it is to let bim free :,
IA pretty way to show my friendship
,naeed'" Jim answered. scornfully. A,
length Gruwell. on condition that tho,
would remain quiet for while, and GIVE
him lime to settle The difficulty, loosenod
bis hold.
"Blair," said Casey, i" in order to make
you quarrel witt me g called yon Il cow,
ard. Here, before the ones that heard me
utter the word, renounce it. You ar,
not coward. That is tho only apology J
shall offer, for think it is the oniv mol
/ OgY owe vOu.O