The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-18

| ting the barrel OF the piston ~" .1'o..3
/ knees, terked at the hammer scNtia
| times. This vas all matter OF n rev
| seconds but IL seemed long time 70 tne
| people standing there, for the other 'i,a,,
| was stll walking forward, aIn'hs; h 5'
| nrlng at the bent figure in front OF MN;
/ In these days OF improved weapons, a.e
| quick shooting such a scene wouit ne
| Impossible. An antagonist would taVe
| been killed or the pistol would nave peen
| pumped empty. In those days there
was no double action. Getting me
| drop, was an expression that had not
| the force Il acquired afterward. 50 II
| happened that the duellist with the ts-
| abicd weapon looked up into the face OF
his enemy not ten feet away, Just IN
| time TO stop the last Ere by appealing:
For Gods sake don't Kill q fellow
without giving him chance MY gun
won't work" go
| Tho other stopped where he was, with
appraised pistol, and waited. There was
| a little parley. The thirst OF the crowd
| for excite ment had been satigned. Pub
| nc sentiment decreed that both were
| bad" men; that neither was worse than
| the other. and that each was too good
| 20 die that day. The pistols were put
away. Principals and people walked
| down fhe Hill 20 the plaza. and. IN the
| language Of the oid-timcr who told the
| story, everybody got glorous.y drunk
a. a conclusion 20 the entertainment.
Santa Re knew day Of thrilling ex-
| element over one OF these frontier duels.
when the finest pistol shot in the Terri
tory. caught unawares without his wea-
| pom, looked calmly along the sights from
| for what seemed TO D. certain death.
Joe Stinson. The gambler. was ono prin-
| cipal I'm this duel. Page OterO. the dep
| uty United States marshal, was The 9TH
| or. Stinson had Had run Of bad luck.
| He hnf played against n visiting profess
slonal all the afternoon ana until late
| al night. lie had tried faro and poker
ana monte and everything else; but with
| each succeeding game his "roll' had IL
minished: There had been some drinking
with II all. The visiting sport grew hila-
rious and Stnson was correspondence
ugly,
| son suddenly. as he caught sight Of Page
Otero passing along thf street I'm back
That man TO play you game of billiards
| for 500 a side"
The stranger promptly accepted. Otero
was called in. The same steadiness OF
nerve which enables a man 20 confront
| the most desperate situations without
| tremor stands him in good stead along
| the rail OF a table.
Page Otero's proficiency at Billiards was
| only second 20 his efficiency with the pis-
| toll The terms Of the bet were explain
| ed, ana Stinson asked the deputy mar
shal If he would play. Otero good-na-
| turedly said he would.
How long DO you want to get ready?"
asked StinsOn
/ Long enough 80 chalk a cue" replied
OterO, ana at IL they went.
To promote freedom Of action Otero
| took of his belt and pistol and passed
| them over the bar.
1t was a three-ball game. Otero got
| the string. md made run Of thirty
| eight. Leaving the table for the other
| player, the deputy marshal turned TO
ward the door and stood looking into
| the street. The stranger. on some pre-
| text followed Oero and in an under
| tone said;
"rli give you $3.50 to let me win this
game"
You're mistaken in your man" replied
| 0tero Il don't play that kind Of bill
lards. II you win IL win DO because
| you beat me fairly"
Then he went back picked up the
| chalk, ana. as he rubbed the end Of the
| cue, he looked at The table and saw that
| the balls had been left in a position re-
| curing most difficult shot. II IL missed
the balls would be in a very favorable
| position for Ills opponent While study
| ing what he had better DO, Otero felt
thrust IN the small Of his back. lie
| glanced over his shoulder. There stood
StinsOn with a cooked six-slfoOter the
muzzle pushed against the deputy.
You make that shot or III Kill you."
| whispered StiusOn hoarsey.
The gambler had been drinking enough
| 20 make him suspicious Had he been
| OF the conversation at the door. knowing
| Otero as he did. The deputy. thinking
the gun play was only a joke reached
| back his left hand and pushed the pis-
| tol TO one side. StinsOn stepped OF two
| or three feet, and. raising the cooked
pistol brought 1t down howly until the
| barrel rested In his left hand directly
| In rarge OF OtcrO's body. He repeated
| this menacng movement several times.
Then the deputy Fealized that the gam
bier was IN earnest and that he was
face TO face with a crisis. Win that
threatening look on his face, Stinsoh
walked to The ether side of the table and
stood facing Otero, the pistol still pre-
scented and cooked.
The deputy marshal thought quickly.
He looked flxedly at the gambler lie
levelled the cue over inc table mechan-
iCaiiv. lie gave the ball a push. lie
stood up without for a second having re-
moved that steady magnetic look into
Now what are you going TO do?' asked
Otero.
The gambler made no answer. lie and
the officer stood there IN silence. the ono
armed and drunk. the other unarmcl
and sober. Step by step ptero walked
backward 10 the bar reached over, got
his pistol. and strapped on his belt never
for a moment relaxing that cold, sieclN
look into Stinson's eyes.
The gambler. stii holding his pistol.
moved slowly around the table 10 the
other end Of the bar and laid down the
weapon. Until the gray dawn OF WIN
ter morning appeared above the noun
tain the two men stood In front or that
bar drinking together Occasionally ana
talking about various things. but each
all of the time watching every move
ment of the other
Why didn't Stnson XII Oter) as he had
killed men before, when he stood with
pistol levelled across the billiard table!
Were the muscles OF his f0rehnSer IN some
way paralyzef by the steady. fearless
gaze from the eyes Of the ofic er? Had
he sense enough left In bis nuddlod
brain 70 realize what would surely follow
the murder OF the unarmcd officer? To
this day II Is something OF a mystery IN
Santa Re how that night passei without
a tragedy. After he got his pistol otero
could have killed Stinson easily, but IL
was In the unwritten code Of those days
that the repros entative Of law ana order
must be sure the REORGANIZATION OF vi0-
lence and disorder was going 20 shoot
before ne used his weapon.
Otero walked out Of the saloon and
slowly homeward, with the knowledge
that at the next meetinf with Stinson
one Of them must quail or die Just be-
fore he reached his room he stopped ani
thought over what had passed. In this
country, more particularly IN those days.
A deputy United States marshals cour-
ago was his capital When 10 fearless
ness was added practice with the pistol,
the qualifications were redrly complete.
The more ne thought OF the events Of
the night tina lees the deputy felt Ike
sleeping on them. He TUNED and walk
Stinson. relieved Of the peculiar in
nucnco Of otcrO's presence. had begun
n buster apd threaten. When he saw
the officer enter he declared that only
duel would sati,fy him.
ara hate 10 shoot al YOU said Otero.
coolly, measuring with contempt aous
glance the towering figure OF the gar
bier. "A bullet couldn't miss You any