The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-03-20

Aol tno uESt SuOt. murray grew LDe
queen of diamonds, Menefee the ace of
spades, and so won the first fire. He i'm
mediately took his stand, turned his
right side to the tree, let the hand which
grasped the weapon, now at full cock,
fall until the muzzle reached below his
knee, fixed his flashing blue eyes steadily
moment on the mark, and then, swift
thought. raised and pulled the trigger.
Unfortunately, the pistol "hung fire." as
it is called in the backwoods-that is.
the flash in the pan was seen first, and
then the explosion of the load in the bar
rel, sounding long, like double report
Under such circumstances most persons
would have missed the tree hut as it was
Menefee's bullet barely cut the upper
edge of the mark. An excellent shotl
Murry now took his position. He was
a famous "level SHOOTER" having previ-
ously SLAIN three men in as many duels,
sending his ball directly through their
brains. He raised slowly, poised de-
iberate aim, stood several seconds mo-
tionless as the tree at which the muzzle
of his pistol was pointed, and fired. The
crack was short and sharp as the peal of
q bell, and when the blue wreaths Of curl
ing smoke were cleared away, the black
spot on the oak was not to be seen-the
white bullet-hole bored into the spiintered
wood occupied its place.
The seconds then gave Murry the third
pistol, and he stationed himself ten steps
from his unarmed adversary, who in the
meanwhile seemed calm and fearless. as
if an unconcerned spectator, without the
slightest symptoms of either alarm or
surprise. According to the term: stipu-
lated, Murray might choose his own time,
after the elevation of his weapon, to fire ;
and the thought appeared to cross his
mind to torture his antagonist by q cruel
and unnecessary delay. He raised his
right hand gradually, and fixed mortal
aim at Menefee's head, in which posture
he continued for more than two minutes.
But Menefee still betrayed no emotion.
Net nerve shook-his face paled not a
shade. A bitter smile of ecorn writhed
his purple lip, and his cleaning blue eye.
gazing fiercely into that of his deadly foe,
seemed to the wondering seconds like q
ball of fire, 70 intense and vengeful was
its glare. At length he called out in a
voice piercing and shrill as the shrek of
. trumpet:
"Murray, you id coward, why don't
you shoot9 Are you afraid to shoot2"
And whether it was that the position of
Murray's arm, 50 long extended, affected
the nerves, or that he became excited by
the mockiag taunt, or was surprised at
the terrible tones of his enemy's voice,
or quailed with preternatural dread be.
fore the lightning of his burning blue
eye, it Is impossible to say; but at least,
whatever might be the cause, remark
able change passed over his features.
His cheek grew palid-his pale lip auly
ered-hls hand shook. He fred. The
ball merely grazed Menefees left temple
without injury.
Then the seconds reloaded the pistol
and placed it in the lands of Menefee,
and the parties again assumed their prop
er stations. The youthful avcneer of a
sisters shame waited not an. instant. He
was in too great hurry to finish his work,
for suspense. Quick as fash of sun
beam, no elevated his weapon and fred.
With the roar of the explosion, without
sigh or groan, Murray dropped dead in
his tracks. His right eye had been shot
OUT
| Msnefee fed the country, and settled