The herald., 1897-08-15

courteous bow, he drew from under his
coat two revolvers. and he held them with
| the peculiar grip of man who knew how
| to use them.
| Arthur Lyons, like all civilized men of
sense, was opposed to duelling, but he
knew that If he did not fight this fellow
under the rules of the so-called "code" the
chances were he would be shot down like
a dog, and he well knew that in such an
event there was no law there to punish the
murderer. He knew that he was not
good shot with a pistol or any other
weapon, for his life had been spent at col
lege or at hard work, where he had
neither need nor opportunity to acquire the
doubtful accomplishment.
"Red' Snively was notoriously the best
pistol shot in the mountains. He had been
known to send the bottom of a tin box
skimming into the air and then to draw his
pistol from his belt and fire two bullets
through the center of the bit of circular
tin before it reached the ground.
Have you got a pistol?' asked the
stranger as he took Arthurs arm and led
him out of the hotel in the direction Red"
Snively had taken.
81 have not" replied Arthur.
''Then take this. 1t is loaded and has a
fine hair trigger. Are you a good shot?"
Arthur took the pistol the stranger hand
ed him and replied:
"I am not and so you must place this
man SO close to me that his superior skill
will not result to my disadvantage"
Leave the whole thing to me and do
not interfere, no matter what I propose"
mans arm.
You appear to be a gentleman, and I
will do as you say" replied Arthur.
The crowd in the bar came out in the
rain to see the duel, taking care to be out
Of range.
81 PROPOSE" said the landlord, ''that we
place our men at ten PAGES with revolvers
we seconds will toss up for the word, and
then they're to fire and keep firing till
one or the other goes down.
"rll do nothing of the kind" replied the
stranger in tones that evinced GOODNESS and
determination. This bully'-pointing to
Snively with his revolver-"is good shot;
my man is not. I propose they shall shoot
across a handkerchief, or let only one
pistol be used We'll draw lots to see which
man shall take it. Are you agreed?" he
asked, turning to Arthur.
81 agree to whatever you say"
"But I dont!" shouted "Red" Snively.
"This amt to be murder, but a duel"
"a murder!" cried the stranger, striding
toward the bully. do you dare to speak
of murder?"
81 want a fair fight" replied Snively.
"a fair fight is impossible without an
equality of skill and force. You would not
fight, you cur, If you did not feel that you
had all the advantage on your side" said
the stranger, with stinging contempt.
'Mebbe you'd like to change places with
your man." said the landlord of the Great
Western.
That's exactly what I proposed to do
from the first said the stranger. "This
Is my fight" he added turning to Arthur
Lyons. Hear me out. have been search
ing for this murderer for year, and now.
after a hunt of ten thousand miles, have
him under my pistol, and no man can fire
at him till have squared my account"
who are you?" demanded Snively, his
countenance purple and his thick lips
trembling with excitement.
Il am George Pierce, the twin brother
of Henry Pierce. whom you murdered in
ST. Louis one year ago."
The stranger threw off his cloak and
false beard, and stood before the cowed
esperado-Hyperion facing a satyr.
stand back, men and let lis ha-' It out.
Coward and murderer though this snively
is ! will give him a chance fer his vile
life
The men dropped back and snively sud
denly raised his pistol and fired.
He was in the act of cooking his pistol
again, when the young stranger raised his
arm.
A crack. a puff of silvery smoke and a
crimson spot in the center of the mans
forehead. who lay dead before the bar
room door.
One hour after this George Pierce shook
hands with Arthur Lyons and rode away
from the mountain camp, the preserver
of one mans life and the avenger of an
others.
Soon after this the landlord of the Great
Western had to fly the camp and was sub
sequenty lynched in Nevada.
Arthur Lyons is today one of Colorados
most prominent citizens, and he often tells
his children of tn early days of Fairplay
and of the duel he came near fighting on
account of their mother.-New York Led
ger.