The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-14
Shooting to Kill.
"volusia," in Minneapolis Tribune.

OIneT.
made the particular acquaintance
of a man of about So years OF age.
whose name was Crompton. Tall. thin.
deep bronzed, he looked like one VINO
had seen some knocking about. but any
one could see, with half an eye. the uh-
mistakable imprint Of gentleman.
He was returning home to England
after twelve years absence. during
which he had made his pile" in silver
mine prospecting.
Looking into his berth one morning
Just after breakfast. found him busy
cleaning a Winchester magazine rifle.
Always fond of firearms, l examined
the weapon with care. and We fell TO
talking about various shooting cpl
sodes.
"By-the-bye," said ne. 'there is a
story connected with that rifle which l
think will interest you, and II you care
to hear II We will go on deck and smoke
q cigar while tell it to you"
or course l was only too glad. and
will give the story in his own words, as
nearly as can remember them.
About four years ago. having lent
some money on the security of a cattle
ranch in Wyoming, circumstances
arose which compslied me to remain
there some months. My visit was of a
character calculated to rather prejudice
me in the eyes OF the little colony OF
cowboys and farmers in the neighbor-
hood. inasmuch as 1t was connected
with money difficulties concerning my
mortgage.
Il found the proprietor by no means
q prepoSSessing sort of man, out ne
did his best to be civil to me, seeing, no
doubt. that it was policy to be so and
as also had been SO far been very leni-
ent with him.
Among the hands. and more or less
In the position of an under boss. was a
fellow called Crockford, a tall, heavy
man. who from the very first showed
me marked incivility, and whom | in
s,!nctively felt would do me harm If he
could. HIS record was decidedly bad,
and not long before that time in anoth-
er neighborhood he had narrowly es-
capped lynChing for horse thieving by
flight: in fact, he was VIGOROUSLY a
tough all round.
Every man about the neighborhood
carried a heavy revolver. and mostly a
Winchester as we'll. l deemed it best,
as matter of policy. not to carry any
firearms at all. Even among those
men a rough code of honor prevailed,
and it was deemed bad form to draw
on a man who hadn't a gun. Again |
was a very bad shot with the revolver
"a faul, which l have since rectified.
! may say, however, that | was a
rather good rifle shot. but up to that
time, oddly enough, had never used a
Winchester All these men shoot well,
some of them marvelcusly well. and
this fellow Crockford. although not
reckoned anything wonderful, could
riddle a powder canister at thirty
yards, and of course do much better
with the rifle. AT 200 yards he could
put almost every bullet into the crown
of your hat.
well, l had been at the place about
a month when l slipped down to the
store one Saturday afternon. partly to
buy some things wanted and partly to
have a chat with Dalziel. a very intel
ligent Schotchman who kept the estab-
lishment. out west, as you may know.
the store is also a sort of rendezvous
for the boys around the neighbor-
hood when they have any spare time.
i had made my purchases and had been
chatting with Dalziel few minutes
when In came seven or eight of the cow
boys with Crockford amongst them.
The man was in a ferocious humor.
that was perfectly evident from his
countenance, and we soon learned from
the boisterous chaff of which he was
the victim that he had for a wager of
the drinks around. backed himself to
ride particular ugly tempered colt
over an awkward .!Inp, and had got a
'cropper for his pains
Calling for the liquors, he rudely
brushed past me to the counter, and
contrived to upset my drink in doing So
] said nothing at all to him, but called
for another glass. The banter which
had been loud up to the moment died
away. as every one saw that Crockford
had tried TO insult me.
AFTER an awkward silence he turned
to old Mottram, the veteran Of the par
ty. and said
Some peoples mighty meek and
forgivin' like-ought ter be angels I
guess. yes; and may be sooner than
they reckon, too. Say. mister he con-
tlnued. turning to me, how long do you
intend to stay around these here parts?
Take my advice and git, and git quick,
tain't healthy fur you
I am going to stay about four
months replied quietly. but If neces-
sary, j viii stay four years. When I
am ready to go, however, do you think
you could sell me a horse to ride away
on?'
A burst Of laughter greeted this al
fusion to Crockford's former horse
stealing exploits. and without an in
stant's pause he flung his tumbler OF
whisky full in my face. Expecting
something of the kind. flew from my
chair. and, being within yard Of him,
struck him heavy blow on the
mouth He reeled back, and, catching a
seat with his leg, fell to the floor. He
was on his feet in a second, revolver in
hand, and | was sure that my last min.
ute had come; and so 1t would have had
not Daziel seized his arm and, by a
wrench, torn the weapon from his
grasp. Only Just In time, too, as a bull
let flew past Inc and buried itself in the
woodwork.
"'For shame, Crockey,' said Motram:
you know that the stranger don't carry
no gun: 'twould have been murder-yes.
an me an the rest Of the boys would
hev let you know of 1t, too A murmur
Of assent warned Crockford that he had
transgressed the unwrkten laws OF
frontier life. The man was deadly pale
with passion, and save where the blood
stains on the lips showed the severity Of
the blow. all traces of color had left
his usually ruddy face.
Boys, he said. with an effort. 4 did
wrong to draw my gun, and acknOwl-
edge 1t, but turning to me, the earth
ain't big enough for us two, by G.!
You must fight me, or will shoot you
dead on sight
II suppose ought to have declined,
but ] didn't. ! was fighting mad. and
longed to punish the rufiian even at the
imminent risk Of my own life, so l said:
will fight you. and fight you now.
but. mark you. we will fight on some
thing like equal terms. With revolvers
should be nothing but victim to
your skill, so am entitled to the choice
Of weapons. We will use Winchesters.
for, although I never fired one In my
life. I can use the rifle better than the
revolver
"A dead quiet fell on the group as
Crockford nodded his head in token of
assent. I had, as I knew, chosen the
deadliest style Of dueling in force out
there.
''Old Mottram broke the silence by