The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-07-13

cled MI over this state, and nevcr carried
gun, but ! couldn't get DANNY TO DO
lieve his route was as safe as church.
OF course. now and then In Texas q
cowboy shoots of his gun. but it's
moro often his mouth. and don't be
lieve there's more killing done IN Tex
as than in any other bit OF land the
some size. But you can't get an Eng
lishman 70 believe that You folks are
an awful law-abiding crowd. For my
part ! would sooner stand my chance
with a revolver than lawsuit any
day" Then the good-nntured Texan
told the story OF the pistol In Texas
Of the general lack of demand for IL,
but the great necessity OF having 4
handy when Ii was called for.
A man with murder in his heart
should not hold a conversation like
this, but William Strong was too full
of one idea to think Of prudence. Such
talk sets the hounds OF justice on the
right trail, with nnpleasant results for
the criminal.
On Thursday morning Strong set out
on horseback from Broncho Junction
with his face towards Felixopolis. by
noon he said to himself he ought to
meet his former partner with nothing
but the horizon around them. Besides
the revolvers in his belt, Strong had "a
Winchester rifle in front OF him. He
Ad not know but he might have TO
shoot at long range, and 1t was always
well 70 prepare for eventualitics.
Twelve O'clock came, but he met no
ono. and there was nothing la sight
around the empty circle Of the horizon.
II was nearly two before he saw a
moving dot ahead Of him. Dandy was
evidently unused TO riding and had
come leisurely. Some time before
they met, Strong recognized his former
partner and he got his rifle ready.
Throw up your hands," he shouted,
bringing the rifle butt to his shoulder.
Dandy instantly raised his hands
above his head. ~ have no money on
me-" he cried, evidently not recogniz-
ing his opponent You may search
me II you like"
Get down off your horse; don't
lower your hands, or fire."
~ assure you have on ly few dol
lars with me, which y GU are quite well
come To, said Dandy.
Strong did not answer. Seeing that
the shooting was to be at short range,
he selected six-shooter from his belt,
and, cooking it, covered his man,
throwing the rife on the grass. He
walked up to his enemy, placed the
muzzlc of the revolver against his rap
idly beating heart. and lcisurcly dis
armed him, throwing Danby's weap-
ons on the ground out of reach. Then
he stood back a few PAGES and looked
ut the trembling man. His face seemed
10 have already taken ON the hue OF
death and his lips were bloodless.
81 see you recognize me at last, Mr..
Dandy. This is an unexpected meet
ing, is it not? You realize, / hope,
that there are no judges, juries nor
lawyers, no mandamuses and no APP
peals Nothing but writ of eject
ment from the barrel of pistol and no
legal way of staying the proceedings
In other words, no cursed bubbles and
no confounded law"
Dandy, after several times moisten-
ing his pallid lips. found his voice:
do You mean to give me chance,
or arc you going TO murder me?'
II am going TO murder YOU"
Dandy closed his eyes, let his hands
drop 10 his sides, and swayed gently
from side TO side rs n man does on the
scaffold just before the bolt is drawn.
Strong lowered his revolver and tired,
one knee of the doomed
man. Dandy dropped with cry that
was drowned by the second report.
Tfhs second bullet put out mis- left eye,
and the murdered man lay with his
face turned up to the blue
sky.
A revolver report ON the prairics Is
short. sharp and echoless. The silence
that followed seemed intense and
boundlcss, as II nowhere on earth
there was such a thing as sound. The
man ON his back gave an awesome
touch Of the eternal to the stiffness.
Strong, now that 1t was all over, be-
gan TO realize his position. Texas,
perhaps. paid too little heed to life
lost in fair fight. but she had an un-
habit of putting a rope
round the neck of cowardly MUIR
derer. Strong WAS an inventor by ma
ture. He proceeded to invent his
Justification. lie took one of Danby's
revolvers and fred two shots out of IL
into the empty air. This would show
that the dead man had defended him
self, at least. and 1t would be difficult
to prove that he had not been the first
TO fire. He placed the other pistol and
the lSnife in their places in Danby's
belt. He took Danbys right hand
while IL was still warm and closed the
fingers around the butt of the revolver
from which he had fired, placing the
on the trigger OF the
cooked six-shooter. To give effect
and naturalness TO the tableau he was
arranging Tor the benefit Of the next
traveller by that trail he drew up the
right knee and put revolver and closed
hand on II as II Dandy had been killed
while just about 10 fire his third shot
Strong, with the pride OF true
artist In his work. stepped back