Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-01-22


loose On Charlies shoulder. He wbirleJ
the riata around his head preparatory tc
launching it upon the horns of the quarry
for moment; the rope left his hand, and
lowering over the head of the buck set
tied down upon his horns. AS soon as the
horse saw the success of the cast, he turn
ed suddenly to the left, stopped short, and
sbraced himself for the coming Jerk The
elk, more terrified than ever at feeling the
rope on his horns, was bounding down a
slight decllvity at a terrible pace, but as
he was In the midst Of one of his gigantic
leaps. .he rope tighteped, and he was
thrown complete sottersault and was
left sprawling On the sward, while the
horse never stirred from his tracks. Be.
fore the animal could regain his feet the
dogs were upon him, but they were com
manded to keep Of, and the prostrate buck
was allowed to get up, and with peen.
liar snort, and with stamp that made all
the joints of his ponderous leg crack, the
elk lowered his bristling antlers and went
fon2 Jim. This was just what was want
ed of him Gruwell spurred bis horse to.
ward the river, and the elk followed in
hot pursuit, thinking, no doubt, that Jim
WAS trying TO escape his wrath, and az
determined he should not. On they went
toward the river; we followed close behind,
When Jim arrived at the river bank, he
swerVed suddenly from his course, and
tumbled the elk on the very edge of the
water, where he was dispatched by one of
the nteh, WHOM Jim called Colonel Casey.
y | now received a cordial greeting and
an invitation to dine with them. We
turned our horses loose to feed, and made
each otber's acquaintance over elk steaks,
IN true "49o style. My new acqraint-
ance' names wers James uruNell, Colonel
Casey, and - Blair they had gone out
from Homocelly Bannho for some sport,
and this was the result They were socia-
bic, good hearted fellows, but Casey and
Blair seemed to have a mutual ill-will
they were surl5 and cross in all they had
to say to each other, and ] noticed that
each eyed the other with look of distrust
and hatred. At length, when the elk
steaks and all the small talk, as well as
well as sporting, had been discuBs8d, Blair
got Up and strobe out toward the horses,
and presently | saw him stoop down and
pick no something from the ground that
glittered IN the sunlight. | had noticed it
before, but though 1t was broken whis.
ky bottle; IF Which there were many
scattered over the plain, having been left
there by miners and others, who, constant
ly passed that way. lie examined it
carefully, and then turned back toward us,
bearing it in his hand.
q os
Gteri8d Gruwell. -
3" An abalone shell, I reckon he is al
ways gathering and examining such
things. | would be satisfied if he would
confne his attentions to geological re.
searches and let me and my aaairB alon6,o
answered Casey.
" What injury has he done you ?" asked
Gruwen.
lie has injured me in way that
nothing but his foul life cen cancel. Be.
fore he 5aine into this valley with his pol
ished manners and pretty lace | had the
undivided attention Of T. c.. but things
are different now, as you know BY this
time Blair had reached us, bearing in his
hand q revolver, heavily gold and silver
mounted, and ornamuntea but It bbrs
traces of having long ba6h exposed 10 the
elements It's barrel and cylinder were
tarnished and filled with sand, which
would have taken a long time to accumu-
late there. As soon as Casey saw it, he
arose to bis feet and exclaimed, "Hallo,
Blair! where did ysu come across my pig
tol z | lost it The day before yesterday
while II The chase of an antelope, and had
intended TO 90 and look for it to-day, but
as YOU have saved me the trouble, | will
just thank you and take possessioh.H
"Not Gust9 so last, Colonel. This is
not your pistol, for you say you lost yours
the gday before yesterday, and this has
evidently been lying where [ stumbled
upon it for a year; and, here is another
to contradict Jotair assertion
-anether'f name is engraved on the
mounting answered Blair, turning the
weapon over, and exposing to view, the
name and date, George Wilson, l848,' u
cut deep IN the silver mounting.
"I don't care tinker's darn for the
name. [ guess I know tty pistol when
sse 1t. Again say it is mine, and [ want
it." answered Casey angrily.
" 1t Is net yours, and ycu shall not have
1t. 1t Is George Wilson's, for [ have
heard him speak of losing it, and seemed
to regret It's loss very much, not merely on
account OF It's intrinsic value, but because
it was made present to him by his Col
onel, during the Mexican war, and Tor
the many lively memories it revives of the
olden time, within the Dominions of the
Don. And | intend to have the pleasure
of re storing it to him as soon as conven-
lent answered Blair decisively.
"Then you mean to insinuate that | am
a liar, do you ?" a.s#
a meant just what [ said nothing
more nor Iess.D
Sand | VIII have your life for ,ty'' hiss,
ed Casey, drawing his revolver.
Jim sprang to bis feet, caught his re
Volyer and forced its muzzl downward,
at the same time excIaimlng "My Goa
Casey, what would you do? You are
letting your animosity carry you entirely
too far. We don't want any shooting
here" Casey struggled desperately to
free his weapon, but all his efforts were
in vain, for he was held in the iron grasp
of GruweIl. lie then changed his tao
tics, and commenced abusing Blair; he
exhausted his catalogue of oaths in Eng
llsh, and then drew on his list of oaths
Spanish. This failing in It's object, he, as,
a last resource, accused him of being a
coward and q scoundrel, which instantly
had the desired effect.
BIalr's fingers twitched nervously at
the handle of his revolver, and at length
he said IN q voice husky with rage, "Col.
Casey, | 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
[ 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 | heard
,he terms coward and scoundrel applied
to me, by you, who have been my fellow
,ampalgner for so long, and know how
utterly untrue the charge is, all my reso-
Lutlons to resist my true feelings have
been broken. If any other man had called
ne coward | would not have felt it half SO
much as when it came from you-you
who have battled by my side in all the
lerrble engagements we passed through