The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-12-10
THE ra1,or qR1BunE WASHINGTON O.
time to treat again, and when the glasses
were empty I said:

time to treat again, and when the glasses
were empty said:
"'Did he really kill . man yesterday
"'Yes,' said the bartender, indifisrently.
There as fellow tried to get funny with
him in his saloon next door, and when Jack
shot him.
"'Wasn't he arrested?' asked.
No, he wasn't exactly arrested, 0ut ne
| appeared before the Coroner and told how 1t
| was, and the Coroner said he'd have to lay
| the matter before the Grand jury
He wasn't locked up then p persisted.
"'Oh, no. You see, Jacks very popular
around here, and he's got quite some
| property, too don't think the boys would
| have liked it much if he'd been locked up
while I was meditatiDg on this the
stranger came back, and resuming his seat
at the table, laid his pistol alongside his
chips, which the others had not disturbed.
They dealt him hand, aud the game,
which had not been interrupted by MS
absence, went on as before. No one made
any remark about the pistol or abont the
man who had gone out to get heeled, but
the old Major pulled ont double -barreled
derringer aud laid it on the table, ana
looked to see the others do the same thing,
but they did not. l had no doubt, however,
that they were armed, and they were look
ing for trouble.
"They had not long to wait. There was
q sound of voices outside, presently, and
looking out saw Jack, still furious with
anger, apparently, breaking away from two
or three men who were evidently trying to
detain him. but who had wholesome re-
spect for the revolver he had in his hand.
I looked around. The Major was dealing,
and the other players were watching MN,
apparently, but was satisfied that they mad
heard the talk outside, and were all alert.
The bartender was safe to drop behind his
bar when the shooting began, and looked
for some place where should be able to see
and yet not be in range. There was VIM
dow in the partition between the rooms,
about IL feet to one side of the door, and l
stepped over there as Jack came in toward
the door.
Through this window I saw the most
magnificent display of cool nerve that ever
came under my notice. The stranger never
changed color, nor moved in his chair, but
could see his eyelids contract and his lips
tighten as he quickly and quietly put his
hand on his revolver and looked toward the
door, at which Jack was just appearing.
pistol in. hand.
"On the instant Pete drew a bowie-knife,
with motion 50 quick that could not tell
where the knife came from, and drove 1t
squarely through the strangers hand into
the table underneath, mailing it fast to the
wood.
"If the stranger had even fiDched, he
| would have been dead in another moment,
| for Jacks pistol was leveled at him, but
| with motion az quick as Pete's he reached
over with his left hand, seizsd his revolver
and shot Jack through the pistol arm, shat
| tering his elbow, just as he was pulling the
| trigger. And the next instant he had shot
| Pete through the heart, and turning to the
Major, he shouted Drop that gun!'
"The old fellow dropped it, aud threw uI
his hands The other man bad gone under
the table like q fash, being only anxious te
get out of the trouble. And Jack, with {
howl Of pain and terror, had turned ane
| run. The fight was over before it was fairly
begun, and the stranger had not moved
from his chair.
"With his left hand he pulled out tht
knife and wrapped up his right in hand
kerchief, and, stepping to the bar, said Il
the bartender:
".You want to have doctor here -
quick to dress my hand. And whlle yot
are about it you'd better notify the Coroner
if there's one around. propose to have
this inquest held before the witnesses ge
away.l,
"The Coroner was around; in fact, b.
was playing cards only four or five door
away, and in half an hour he was holdin:
his inquest. The stranger had shown hi
good sense in demanding immediat
action, for though he was stranger
the facts were too plain for a dispute, ant
even one or two of Pete's friends on tn
Jury were forced to admit that the strange
had killed his man in self-defense.
He was accordingly informed by the Coz
oner that he could go on his own recog
nizance to appear before the Grand Jury
and after treating the crowd at the dea
mans bar, and paying for the treat with tn
chips he had ON the card-table, he went owe
| to the levee and boarded boat that ha
stopped, on her way up river.
"He had given his name to the Corone
as Dick Davis, of Tuscumbia, Ala, and
afterward heard that he was really cross
roads gambler, as travelling card-sharps use
to be called, and was famous pistol shot
Why he did not kill Jack as well as Pete
never really understood, for if the stories {
his Workmanship were One-balf true, b
could have done it easily enough. / neve
knew what the Grand Jury did about ii. y
Neo York sam.