The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-08-16

iCtudtkcu Uudu rs Uc WAS kOIuk VI
stop off at Natchez, he supposed II
was hardly worth while to go to bed ;
whereupOn one OF the other gamblers
getting wink from his chief, chimed
in: II don't care to go to bed, either.
Let's play another game" Where.
upon the stranger was invited to join
them, and, after some demur, he con-
sented.
They allowed him to win some
stable bets, but just as day was be.
ginning to break the dealer gave him
hand that would induce him to bet
still more largely.
The ante was d, the blind was 80
the next man put in go, the stranger
$40, which was followed by sl3O. They
went on raising each other In the
usual fashion, except that the hun.
dreds jumped rapidly into thousands,
while the breathless crowd around
them instinctively drew closer with a
sense that something was coming.
At last 100000 was stacked up on
the table and the dealer and one OF
his confedratcs had dropped out. The
man who made the blind and the
stranger remained, looking into each
others faces, the former with a fiusl
on his forehead, the latter pale and
cool, as II mapping at church. But
his eyes were very vigilant, and he
was only waiting for the critical mo.
ment when the dealer would slip a
card to his opponent.
Suddenly rising, he drew long, H.
deous-lOking knife, with curious,
curved point, from his bosom, and,
throwing his own hand on the table
said sercnely:
"Four kings and ten take this
pot"
Then he seized the gambler by the
wrist and added, "Show your hand as
it is! If it contains six cards shall
kill you"
The strangers voice was almost as
quiet as II he were speaking in 4 la.
dy's parlOr. But there was a depth
of purpose In 1t, which the whole
crowd felt from head to foot.
As the cards from the gamblers
suddenly.twlstcd wrist fell on the ta-
bic, they were seen to be four aces, a
queen and knave.
There was moment OF deathlike
silence. Then a roar like the breath
Of prarie fire went up from the
crowd, which was composed chiefly of
planters and honest travellers.
"Who the devil are you, anyway 2"
cried the baffled gambler, when the
shouts subsided.
"Jamcs Bowie" was the answer.
The voice was like velvet, but It cut
likestccl into the hearts Of the chief
gamblers c0nfederatcs and deferred
them from any purpose o. impulse
they might have had to interfere.
They, with the crowd, shrank back
from the table, smitten with sudden
terror by the name. Bowie softly
swept the bank notes into his large
slouch hat and lightly clapped it on
his head.
"You must fight me for this" said
the chief gambler, recovering his cOur-
age at the loss of his booty.
Certainly" said Bowie. II said l
should kill you. In which way do you
prefer it? With knife or pistol 2"
mot with your weapon" replied
the man savagely.
$50 be 1t then," returned Bowie.
"Will somegentleman lend me pis-
tOl and act as my second ?"
A dozen were instantly offered, and
selecting one very carefully Bowie
said:
"Let 1t be at once on this boat.
Make the arrangements to suit your
selves. / will return in fve minutes
Lightly as panther he bounded up
the stairs, went to the young mans
cabin, knocked, handed the contents
OF his hat to the wife, telling her that
two-thirds Of it belonged to her bus
band and the rest to himself, that he
would return In few minutes.
The seconds had arranged that
each of the duelists should stand on
one OF the warehouses which were
about thirty-six feet apart, and that
the signal should be given "Onc, two,
three, fire-stop" They were to shoot
between the words fire" and ''stOp"
as often as these words were uttered.
At the first call the professional
gambler fired before the word "three"
was entirely uttered, apparently with.
out taking aim. His opponent fired
more deliberately, and the gambler,
with shrek Of agony, turned q som.
ersault backward into the river just
as the great round face OF the sun,
like a golden cannonball, shot up
from behind the neIghb0ring blum.
Bowie blew the smoke out OF his
pistol, shut down the pan and dcscen-
ded from the wheel house as II little
affairs Of this kind were his usual ap.
petixer before breakfast. Then he d.
vldcd the money with the young
mans wife, and, In spits Of their af-
fectIonatc solicitations, for thet re.
garded him as their savior, chung
about him and wished TO take him
home With them, he got oil the boat
at Rodney, telling the young man that
he must never touch . card again as
long as he lived. .
In the interest Of history and 10