Evening journal., 1897-04-21
HE WANTED A KNIFE.
HOW "BLAcK HARRY TESTED THE
DRUMMER'S SAMPLE.


Direction did Him Coed Turn. as the
Drummer Saw.
One day in Leadvillc, Colo, had
just finished dinner, when stranger
spoke to me in the hotel We chatted
for minute or two. and then the stran-
ger, whose name l aftcrward learned
was Harry Conner, CT Black Harry for
short, asked me if l was rot selling
hardware. | told him was, and he snid
he wanted TO buy knife. | said lad
some knives with me. but only as sam
pies. and that, Of course, / never sold
samples. well, he suid, chats the
reason l came to you. HUNTED the town
over this morning 20 find knife, and
couldn't find one that was worth carry
ing. l thought probably ycu might have
enc or two good nes, and that you
wculd sell enc. / cont care what the
price is, so it suits me" finally con-
scntcd TO show him what i had.
j never saw "a an examine knife
as no did one that he selected. ] had
perhaps 40 different ones but he gave
only q glance at the lot and picked out
] the best one there in an instant Picking
il up, he weighed it in his hand, turned
it over and over, ran the edge Of it
across the back of his thumb nail, as
barber tries razor, ficlyed the point
with his nail, scruhnized every frac-
tional part of the blade and hilt, and
then grasping il firmly, swung his arm
in the pretticst sort of knife play, as il
testing its weight and balance still more
carefully. Then, stopping over TO q
wooden bc.tomed chair, he drove the
blade squcrely through the ! ~ inch
wood with a powerful blow. Then he
threw it at q knot in the wooden parti-
tion that separated my room from the
next and left the knife sticking squaroly
in the knot.
'That'sa n pretty good throw" ! said.
"Do you think Eoy he answered in
differently, and he stepped over TO the
partition ard drew out the knife, still
smiling ard stepping back l2 feet
threw il again
This timo ho struck the exact spot
he had hit at fTst / could see but ono
malk after he had drawn the knife out
the second time. "Oh, that's nothing,
he said, and with the point of the knife
he scratched a rough circle on The WOOD
about the size Of mans hand. Step
ping back 70 where he stood before, he
turned his back 20 the target, and then,
looking nc il over his right shoulder he
threw the knife over his left, sticking
il fairly in the target. Then he reversed
the trick throwing over his right shoul-
der, and finally, planting himself care
fully in the same place, be looked quick
ly over his shoulder, and then, turning
bis face directly away, he threw the
knife over his head, striking the same
target and leaving the knife m incl
, deep in the wocd.
5 Il want that knife he said, rathol
4 peremptorily, "and / want it just s5I
worth. And he pulled 500 greenbacl
ont Of his pocket and laid it ON the Ia
ble. ] took the money. ! thoughts maI
who could use O knife like that ought tC
have good enc.
{ fcd started cut in tho evening 10 sec
whatvDs going cr ard lad lookodin al
! thiCe or four gamhlirg hclls before
5 carve t3 Cro where Black Harry sat play
t ing faro. He sat with his left hand to-
,, ward the door, and as / sauntorcd up tC
the table he smiled little and nodded
but did not speak.
noticed that he was watching th,
door, He did not turn his head, but hii
eyes seemed TO BE- everywhere at once
D and, though he was playing steadily,
I and with fairly good luck, too, L wai
q certain that he saw every motion that
r. anybody made anywhere in the room
excepting Of course right behind him.
Presently noticed that no was watch
ing a man who was just coming in. TIL,
newcomer was a stout built, ugly look
ing fellow, who Looked carefully around
\ as ne entered and who almost immedi
e ately saw Black Harry, He started ;
h little, and then, evidently thinking tha
b / Connor did not see him, stepped care
p fully to his right till ne was almost be
= hind where Connor sat. Still Conno
did not turn his head, but / could sec
him watching the other as he steppcC
slowly around until ne was fairly on
s of the rnge even of Conncr's remark
4 able eyes. Then ! saw Connor suddenly
y look full at the dealer with a questici
3, as plainly expressed as it could havl
e been in words So naturally looked a
! the dealer
j lie gave no sign at first that / coul'
see Of even knowing that Connor was il
front Of him, but went on dealing as j
there was nothing else in the world &
do Then in an instant his eyes seome'
d TO blaze. When / saw the Dealers sig
e nal, / looked back al Conner and in al
< instant saw "a tragedy The nowcome
c was drawing aroyolycr, and at the sam
e time ConnCr was turning his head am
throwing the knife / had sold him. ii
rose from bis chair as he threw it, an
. the stranger S revolver exploded, bnt th
! bullet went wild. for he sank to th
n floor as he fired, with the point Of th
a knife in his brain.
Z "Gentlcmcn, said the dealer befor
10 any one else could speak, II soy Blac
Harry done just right That white liz
cred chr had sworn 10 kill him ON sigl