The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-11-26

ferocity of tiger. AS the blow fell
the young man evaded it by a quick
movement, caught the gambler by the
throat, and threw him heavily to the
deck.
A loud shout of admiration burst in
voluntarily from the crowd. At this
moment man pushed his way through
the excited spectators and thrust a
knife into the young mans hand.
recognized him in a moment 1t was
Preacher Jim." Take this" he
said hastily, in low voice. ..lt has
done good work before to-day. Keep
your eye on his. Steady, and strike
straightt'
The young man took the kuife me-
chanically. He had forgotten for the
moment everything but himself and his
antagonist, but as the crowd fell back
he glanced at his sister. A sudden cry
escaped him. Tho weapon dropped
from his hand. She, was dead. As
he turned to throw himself by her side,
the gambler struck him in the back,
and he fell upon his face.
For moment not u man in the
crowd moved or spoke. Preacher
Jim" stood motionless, but his face
was white and his eyes were like
Goals.
Bclcher held up the knife.
Some of you," he said, "were for
ward in pushing him on a while ago.
Perhaps you'd like to take his place. {"
The crowd instinctively shrank back.
There were none among them willing
to risk their lives in a hand-to-hand
conflict with so dangerous a foe. En-
couraged by the silence, the gambler
continued in louder tone, Are you
all towards? Who wishes to take that
mans placer"
ell" answered Preacher Jim, as he
stepped forward and picked up the
long, keen weapon which few minutes
before he had placed in the now dead
mans hand. You are a coward and
deserve to die the death of a dog. 1
am going to kill you, but you shall
have fair chance for your Iife.'
Belcher ground his teeth. and made
movement as if he would strike.
Stop" said Macgregor, in quick,
sharp voice. "If you move another
inch it will be the worse for you.
am not taking up this dead mans
ground. 1t is my own. Two years
ago you shot mere boy in the street
at Vicksburg, because he resented your
drunken insults. He was my brother.
L swore when he was brought home l
would kill you if l had to follow you
over the world. l have hunted you
since then. You know me. Joe Bel
cher, if you had twenty lives L would
have them all. Are you readyP"
"Yesr yelled the gambler furiously,
and the drops of sweat stood on his
forehead. He made a quick lunge at
the breast of his antagonist, which was
met and parried. There was a return
thrust sudden as a flash of light, and,
throwing up his arms with a convul-
sive gasp. Delcher reeled stop back
ward, and fell to the deck dead.
Preacher Jim" drew long breath,
and, rs if his mission had been accom-
plished, entered the cabin, and did not
make his appearance ON deck again
during the voyage.
saw him once more. 1t was eight
years afterward, on the bloody field of
Pea Ridge, the morning after the flight
of Van Dorm. In gathering up the
wounded the detachment of which l
had charge came across a heap of con-
federate dead. On the top, as if last
to fall, face upward, a red stain on his
forehead, his open eyes staring blindly
at the sky above him, lay Preacher
Jim. ."-Chas. E. Hurd, in Chicago
Times.