The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-10-26

pointed out to me . group of wildly excited reds, who, as he spoke, sepa- rated as If blown apart by an explo- sion, and rushed for a long clear patch of sand outside of the incloSure, and near the river bank.
 "There's goin' to be duel," said W, coolly, as he pushed a few more car tridges Into the magazine of his Henry rife, "an' I'm hopin' 'twon't grow to be a gineral scrimmage. 'Pends agood deal on who's laid out in the fight. Wild Bears got seven brothers, an of Crooked Neck kills him they'll make things lively round here"
 A few hurried questions put me into possession of the main facts of the case. Wild Bear and Crooked Neck, the first an Uncapapa and the other & Lower Yanktonnais Sioux, had long been at enmity. They had exchanged shots once before, but had been seper- ated by common friends. This par ticular morning they had been indul- ing in mutual recriminations, and fin- ally got into an aggravated wordy war over the possession of a beef tongue which each claimed to have cut out before the regular distribution took place. One of Wild Bears wives got the tongue and Crooked Neck snatched it from her. Wild Bear saw the affair and, leaping upon his enemy, struck him with his coup stick-a thin wand of red willow. The insult must be wiped out in blood, and the duel must be to the death.
 In less time than it takes to write of it the spot of sand referred to was pre-empted by a crowd of bucks-the old men, women and children kept at safe distance-anda lane was opened in the crowd five yards wide and ten times as long. Into one end of this space leaped Wild Bear, armed with Winchester, and in moment Crooked Neck appeared at the oppo- site end brandishing 6 No. 10 shot, gun, double -barreled and loaded with slugs, bullets and heavy duck shot. Both men were naked as when they were born, if one excepts the eagle feathers which dropped from Wild Bears black braids and the bear-claw necklace which rose and fell to the throbbings of Crooked Neck's bronzed chest.
 "We're not in range, reckon" said w., when the duelists faced each other, 'xnd our wisest plan would be to get up an git fore they commence shoot in. But feel like as ef I'd like to see the fun, eh1"
 Whatever I might have thought, a shot from Wild Bears rife and a cheer from Crooked Neck's friends as they saw that their man was unharmed turned my attention to the tragic arena to the exclusion of everything else, even considerations of prudence and escape. The contestants were yelling at the top of their voices, and leaping into the air and from side to side of the human walled lists with surprising activity and an evident knowledge of the necessity against presenting 6 standing mark.
 Crooked Neck raised his weapon every moment, but was restrained from firing by the conviction that one of his two barrels must kill, as he had but brace of shots, while Wild Bear presumably had dozen in his msga- zine. At length Crooked Neck seemed to see chance and fired. Wild Bear gave leap high in the air, whoop that could have been heard for miles, and dropped on one knee as If wounded. Crooked Neck gave an answering yell, and was rushing forward for . closer shot, when Wild Bear fired and his foe droppod like a log.