The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-13

III ltu minutes III IilS OEuSu iOuQ5..
Whatever might have been the feelings
and intentions of the men around him, the
precedence of Mckinstry's right to the
duello was principle too deeply rooted in
their traditions to deny; if any resistance to
it had been contemplated by some of them,
the fact that the master was now armed,
and tuat Mr.. Nckinstry would quickly do
battle at his side with revolver in defense
of his rights, checked any expression. They
silently drew back as the master and Nc
Kinstry 81 WHY passed out of the school
house together, and then followed in their
rear.
In that interval the MASTER turned to Nc
Kinstry and said ia a low voice;
II ACCEPT your challenge and thank you
for it. You have never done me greater
klndness-whatever have Done + yor-
yet | want you to believe that neither now
nor them meant You any harm"
EFF You mean by that, SIR, that we reckon
ye won't return nay fire, ye're blind ald
wrong. For II will do you no god with
them. he said, with q significant wave Of
his crippled hand toward the following
crowd. nor me neither
Firmly resolved. however, that he would
not fire at McKinstry. and clinging Indy
to this which he believed was the last idea
of his foolish life, he continued without
another word until they reached the open
strip of "chemisaln that hanked the clear
ing.
The rude preliminaries were soon settled.
The parties armed with rifles were to fire at
the word from a distance of eighty yards,
and then approach each other, continuing
the fight with revolverS until one or the
other fell. The selection of seconds was
effected by the elder Harrison acting for
Mcknstry, and after a moments delay oy
the volunteering of the long, lauk figure pre-
vlously noted to act for the master. Pre-
occupied by other thou yhts, Mr.. Ford paid
little iced to his self elected supporter wlo
to the others seemed to be only taking that
method of showing his contempt for Nc
Kinstry's recent insult. The master received
the rifle mechanically from his hand and
walked to position. He noticed, however,
and remembered afterward that his second
was half hidden by the trunk of large
pine to his right that marked the limit of
the ground.
In that supreme moment it must be re-
corded, albeit against all preconceived
theory, that he did not review his past life,
was not Illuminated by flash of remorse-
full or sentimental memory, and did not
commend his soul to h S maker, but that he
was simply and keelly alive to the very
actual present in which he still existed and
to his one idea of not firing at his adver-
sary Anl if anything could render his
conduct more theoretically inco rect it was
quite right ami was not only not a bad SORT
OF fellow, but one whom his survivors might
pos IDLY regret!
Are y.u ready, gentleman! One-two
-three-h ~
The explosions were singularly simulta-
neous-5o remarkable, in fac, that it see. ned
to the master that his riffs, fired in the air,
had given a double report. A light wreath
OF smoke lay between him and his oppo-
In Nfvr
his adversary, for the voice rose again.
"Adyancol e. 8. Halo there! Stopn'
He looked up quickly TO see McKinsJry
stagger and then fail hea vily TO the ground.
With an exclamation of horror, the first
and Only terrible emotion he had felt, he
ran To The fallen man, as Harrison reached
his side at the same nome t.
For Gods sake, he said wildly. throw
Ing himself on hi, knees beside Mckinstry,
"wAat has happened. For l swear to you,
l never aimed at you | fired in the air
Speak Tell him, you he turned with a
despairing appeal to Harrison, 'you "a ust
have seen it ail-tell him it was not met"
A half wolderiOg, half incredulous smile
pa ed quickly over Harrison's face.
In course you didn't mean it, he said,
drily, ''but let that slide. Get up and get
away from yer, while you kin" he added,
iavatiently, with a significant glance at one
or two men who fingered after the sudden
nd general dispersion of the crowd at Nc
Kinstry's fall. &c twill ye!"
"Neverln seid the young man, passion
ately, 'until he knows that it was not my
hand chat fred that shit"
McKlnstry painfully STR lied to his ell
bow.
1T took me we're" he said, with a slow
deliberation as if answering some previous
question, aud poi hitting to his hip. 'and it
ilader 10. me down when | started forward
at the second call"
but 1t was not who did it, McKinsury,
l swear 1t. Hear mel For Go1's sake, say
you believe me-"
McKius;ry turned his drowsy, troubled
eyes upon master as if he were vaguely
recalling something.
"Stand back thar mint, will ye," he
said 70 Harrison, with a languid wave of his
crippled hand, II want ter speak to this
yer man"
Harrison drew back a few PAGES and the
master sought to take the wounded mans
hand, but he was stopped by a gesture
where hev you put CressyP' McKinstry
said slowly.
81 don't understand you," stammered
Ford.
Where are you hidin' her from meT' re-
peated Mckinstry with painful distinct
ness. "Whar hev you run her to, that
you're reckonin' to jine her arrer-arter-
thiss
az am not hiding herl am not going to
her. | do not know where she is. | have
not seen her since we parted early this
morning without a word of meeting again >
said the master, rapidly, yet with bewild-
cred astonishment that was obvious even to
tae dulled faculties of his hearer.
THAT war true" asked McKinstrv. lay
ing his hand upon the masters shoulder and
bringing his dull eyes to the level of the
young mans.
at is the whole truth" said Ford, fer
vently, and true also that l never raised
my hand against you"
Mckinstry beckoued to Harrison and the
two Others who had joined him, and then
sank partly back with his hand upon
is side, where the slow empurp-
ling of his red shirt showed the slight ouze
of a deeply-seated wound.
you felers kin take me over to the
ranch" he said, camly, "and let him"
pointing to Ford, "ride your best )ss fer
the doctor. | don't" he continued, in grave
explanation, ''gin'rally use a doc or, but
this yer is suthin' outside the old woman's
regular gait"
He paused, and then drawing tho masters
head down toward MIN, he added in bis
ear
"When get TO hev a look at the size and
shape o. this yer ball that's in my hip III
In-Iil-be-a-littl more kam"
A CLEAN of dull significance struggled
into his eye. master evidently under
stood hin. for he rose quickly, ran TO the
horse, mounted MIN aud dashed off for
Il IL Il