The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-02-19

to prove It i'i fight you and put bullet
through your
Not much You won'tr' cried the scout.
~ don't know much about duels, but do
know I'm the one challenged, an reckon
that gives me the rightof choosiu weapons.
We won't fight with guns, hut we'll use
the rope
1.-THE rope'"
yep. You git on your boss, an III git
on mine Wen both have a lasso an be
stationed 30 rods apart. At signal we'll
ride ut each other, both with the idea Of
ropn t'other critter from his horse. The
lucky man has the right to tow t'other ga
loot as fur as he dern pleases.'
That meant the man who was lassoed
would be dragged over the plain until he
was dead. a mass of broken bones and
bleeding flesh at the end of the lariat.
Dave Stone hesitated for an instant, and
then he slowly said;
81 never threw IA rope in my life"
THAT hain't nothin to me-" declared
! Jack Fight or take water"
"Under the circumstances, spoke the
/ engineer, 81 presume you will give me
| week in which to practice with lasso, so
may have some show in the game"
This did not suit the Roper at all, but
every one in the party declared it was no
more than fair, and knowing no man could
perfect himself in the use of the lasso in
such "a brief time Jack finally agreed.
Stone procured a lariat, and from that
time on he was practicing with it every
spare moment he could obtain. But he
had little time for practice, and he did not
make rapid progress, for all OF which he
was perfectly cool and determined to meet
the Roper on the day set for the strange duel.
4 L. ~, Il 60. ~
we received orders to make camp early in
, the afternoon. While the laborers were
, looking after this matter Roper Jack
threw himself down on the grass and calm
r ly went to sleep. 1t was thus we found
him, lying fiat on his back, with big rat
tlesnake coled on his broad breast. Oui
, cries of alarm awoke him, and he saw the
snake His eyes filed with horror, but he
, dared not stir, for the serpent seemed an
CRY, and the scout knew it would strike al
the first motion.
Dave Stone carried his lasso at his waist
In a moment he had released it, and theT
the moose circled round his head. Before
we realized what he contemplated doing
he made the cast. Through the air shot the
moose, dropping fairly over the uplilted
head of the RATHER, and the next instant tn,
snake was jerked squirming through tn,
|
the serpent's head was crushed beneath
Stones boot heel, and the engineer was
calmly coiling his lasso Every witness
stood astounded
Roper Jack had leaped to his feet anC
he looked at Stone with an expression O
amazement and admiration growing on hi
weatherbeaten face At length he cam
slowly forward.
~ sw'ar, that was a slick throw!" he said
81 reckon you saved my life pard, an RICH
hyar ask your pardon for calm we a COW
ard. You hain't none whatever. A MAJ
as can handle a rope like that can't be
coward If you insist on fightin, we'll hav
it out, Jest as we greed, but low l lain
anxious to fight man as has saved m
from rattlers jaws"
This was a fair apology, aud Stone az
cepted it.
"Well call it square, them" declared tn
young engineer.
Let's shake" invited the scout, extent
ing his hand.
They shook.