The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-01-06

1
| There amt much chance OF that,
j fear. He's dead set on shooting yer,
sir, but / wish there was some way of
stoppin' this uffair It seems onrea-
sonabe that you should meet a man
sich tremendous lot better ner your
self when your life will most likely
hev to pay the stake.
'Crockford soon arrived ut tho
store, bringing his rife with him, and
of course whisper or two from his
friends made him acquainted with
the results of my target practice. Dal-
siel made a last attempt to prevent a
meeting aud addressed Crockford upon
the evil OF carrying this affair to ter
mination, which must almost inevit-
ably result in murder, on account of
my poor tnrget practice.
Crockford said:
" There amt no particular reason
for fighting, II he will appolergize fer
strikin' that blow, but he's got ter do
1t, and got ter do it humble, too, or
else let him git hold of his rifle. /
won't say no more
81 impatiently waived to Dalziel to
desist and signed to Mottram to pro-
ceed with the necessary preliminaries.
Taking the two rifles from our hands
he pressed, one by one. into the maga.
zines OF ench of them seven cartridges.
"'Now, said he, when this was done,
'yon, Crockford, are we'll posted as to
how these affairs are managed here,
but for fear that you'-turniug to me
may not be so we'll acquainted with
tiem will tell yer the conditions.
These two rifles will be laid down on
the middle of tue road, where it goes
over the plain in straight line, they
will be pucad over two hundred yards
apart, and you will stand each beside
| his gun. We, that is, Dalziel and
myself, will stand between you and to
one side. When ] throw my hat up
| yon nre each ut liberty to get your
gun and make the best use OF it again
one another You may stand and fire,
or lay down and fire as you please.
You kin run in on one another, or if
either of you chooses. he kin
run back. There's plenty of road,
too ;each ofyou has about fifty miles of
st.aight travelin' behind him if he
don't like the looks of things in front /;
but neither of you must leave the road,
and the seven shots in each of guns
must decide the affair, hit or miss.
Mind, if these conditions are broken
by either man, me and Dalziel here
are to see fair play, and we have guns,
and will use them, too. Without
another word we all left the store,
and the seconds, placing the rifles on
the road beside Crockford and my
self, retired to the little hillock to
give tho signal.
| g perhaps ought to give you do
scription of my feelings at that mo.
ment, but really l can hardly do SO,
nor do remember any very predomi-
nnnt emotion. save that felt a sort of
stony calm, mixed with strong de-
sire to draw bead on that figure
standing quietly beside his weapon
some two hundred yards away.
"As ! before told you, I, had laid
down my method Of proceeding, and
the basis of it was to remain on the
defensive, for / felt sure that Crock
ford, despising my abilities with the
Winchester, would advance upon me,
nor was / at all mistaken; directly the
signal was given he seized his rifle
and almost instantly discharging n
shot, wh!ch passed within foot OF
me, he started on zigzag run toward
me. Meanwhile had gone down flat
on the road, bringing my rifle to bear
upon him, aud getting sight after he
had run in perhaps fifty yards, 1 fired
my first shot.
II shot primarily to stop him. oi
course, il I could, but also with the
intention Of throwing a thin cloud ol
smoke Immediately in front OF me,
beneath which could again take
sight. The day was still. bright and
wnrm, and far away along the road be.
hind Crockforda little white pu IF of dus,
told me that had missed my man.
Jerking the lever Of the rife forward
and back to its place again, I had my
second shot ready for delivery. This
time waited, judging that when he
came to stop, either to lie down. OF