The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-07-22
THE LAW OF THE PLAINS.
Thrilling Account OF . Duel to the Death
with Knives Fought nv the Moons Light.

THE LAW OF THE PLAINS.
with knives Fought nv the Moons Light.
'The outfit of twelve wagons had
stopped at n point on the Rio Pecos
river about seven miles a bove the town
Of Anton Chico. We had supper and
were smoking our pipes, and it was be-
tween sunset and dark when a young
fellow about twenty years old came
riding up from the direction of the Co.
manche country. He was dressed like
were in good English. He rode up to a
campfire around which five or six of
us we're sitting, and after a Good even
ing'to all dismounted and let his gaze
wander from man to man.
'"reamster No. was a Mexican half
breed known as Big Pete. He gavo q
STAR of surprise as the stranger rode
mp, and heard him cursing and NUT
teriEg to himself. by and by the boy
fixed his gaze on Pete and kept it there
for long half minute. There was a
sort If smile on his face which made
one think Of the look Of a wolf who has
pursued his victim for hours and hours
and was finally near enough to seize it.
Rifle, pistol or knife? he queried
of Petein a low, even voice.
''Thc big fellow looked around un-
easily. He was no coward. as we all
l<ne w. hut the sudden appearance of
the boy had ratified him for 1; moment.
A full moon was coming up, and there
would be light enough for firearms.
He was a good shot: but that long
sharp knife was his favorite weapon.
Besides, he was a giant compared to
tina t slender but active-lool<ing youth.
1.-THE knife, and I will give you one
minute to say your prayers: shouted
Pc te as he sprang up.
every we'll; just as you please,
quietly replied the young man, as he
Not n word was spoken by any of
the rest of us. We all rose up, but
made no other move. Not a question
was asked of either man. 1t was the
lawof the plains. One man had the
right to demand satisfaction of
another by rife. revolver or knife.
AS 70 the cause of the quarrel, why
should we ask or care? Pete removed
his lfelt and jacket and sombrer and
tied a ndlzerchief around his head.
The stranger remove d the belt in
which he carried a couple of rcvolvers,
threw aside his som brero. and walked
off to distance of fifty feet. Pete
followed. Every man in ca mp formed
a circle about the pair. The moon
male everything as plain as daylight.
The horses and mules were all to the
right of us. SO far all could see
every one stopped feeding and gazed
stendfastly at the circle.
Ready
alt was the stranger who called out.
and at the word both moved into the
center of the ring and menaced each
other. fight to the death with knives
is a horrible thing to look at, and yet
there is a magnetism about it which
forces yon to stand and look till the
end comes. Boxers move about-feint
Observation-Disclosures at each other
and grapple. So it is with men VIII o
fight with knives. Back and forth
across the circle-round and round it
their knives now and then elias hing to-
gether. and it was ten long minutes
before blood was drawn. With the first
drop came death.
.Noman called out. No man in the
circle moved out of his tracks. Some
of the horses ca me nea rcr and vhinn :ed
softly, as if asking what it was all
about, but this we rcmem Der after
ward Big Pete was working to make
his great strength bring him an adj
vantage. If he could seize that boy
right arm with his left hand and hold
it for five seconds the duel would
be ended. Thrice he attempted it
and thrice he failed. Suddenly
the boy found the opening he had
been seeking. So swiftly that none of
us could follow him he sprang forward
under the uplifted right arm. there was
the flash of knife, and Big Pete ut
tered a groan and sank down.
".You are witnesses that it was a fair
fight said the stranger as he bent over
Pete and looked around the circle.
"It was fair. but no man answered.
He called his horse by a low whistle,
slipped on the bride. and half a min
ute later was cantering away to the
east. Big Pete had wrongcd him.
The law of the land would not give
linn satisfaction. The law of the plains
had avenged him. a grave beside the
pecos-a guess or two at the strangers
.dentity-and that was all."-Chicago
Times.