Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-12-02
How A Duel Ended.


We had come down OF the noun
taius near tremont's peak-the six
! OF us who had been prospecting for
three months-and we had scarcely
struck the trail when we ran upon u
mountain outfit. There were three
| white men. two half breeds n Mexican
and negro. and the party had six
| '@,h mules with them. They had
just gone into camp Tor the night, and
after hearty greetings all around we
| pitched our tents alongside and cook.
ed our suppers at the same campfire.
The strangers We're bound up to Lit
tie SQuaw mountain. on liant for
! gold. Tho leader WAS Jim Williams.
There would have been no trouble
between the two outfits but for the
cards which were introduced after sup
per. And as 1t was, only a portion Of
the men cared to play, MS the day had
been a tiresome one to all. Our chief,
Frank Johnson of Nevada, sat down
| with Williams, and both we're in great
good nature as | wrapped myself up
In blanket and fell asleep. had slept
Tor two hours when aroused by the
sounds Of quarrel | was the last
man of the thirteen to roll out. and |
| found every one of the twelve with Il
gun in his hand 1t seemed that the
two leaders had begun playing for
money. and luck being with our man
he had won heavily. Then there
came Il dispute as to some point tho
lie was passed, and the men OF both
! outfits were ready to open fire ON zach
| other, 1t was the other crowd which
hacked down, Williams realized that
he could not depend upon the Mexican
and the negro, and was therefore over
n atched, After n moment he flung
down his gun and said to Johnson
The crowd has nothing to do with
this row, and | reckon we are men
enough to settle it between ourselves"
in any way you choose" replied
Johnson.
'WeI, then, I'll tell you my plan in
the morning. One of us has got to 80
undor for what has passed, but to-
morrow will be a long day Let's call
| il off for tonight"
The two leaders shook hands, and
| for one believed that would be the
end Of the quarrel. | said as much
! to one of our men IA we lay down
| again, but he whisperingly replied:
"You don't know the men. There
Is an old grudge between them. They
will fight tomorrow for sure, and they
will fight until one OF them Is dead"
"A duel with rifles, pistols, or
krives?" ! asked
Il can't say Both are square men,
! and it will be square fight. Jim
| Williams Is one Of the gamest men in
the West, and rs he has found his
NJ atch therell be fight worth talking
about for the next twenty years"
The men of both camps slept peace
| fully during the remainder OF the
! right, and as we prepared and ate
breakfast nobody had n word to say
about the trouble OF the night before.
| The two leaders gave each other good
morning" and chatted about the
" Gather, and would have wagered
my all that the hard words had been
forgotten and forgiven. ] was looking
for the order to pack up and move on
az soon as breakfast was over when
Williams took seat beside Johnson
and quietly Observed:
You are In no great hurry, I take
II. and a day or two will make no diff
ference TO our men"
I'VE can stop here week as well
as not" was the reply.
Just ahead Of ua, to the north, Ia
Jackson's basin.
AYE! I've passed through It,"
said Johnson. It's a natural sink
which was once the bed Of lake, but
Is now grown up with perfect tangie
What's your plan?"
One Of us Ia to leave here al
o'clock 1t will take him an hour to
reach the far side" At 10 o'clock the
other will leave We will hunt for
each other In the basin The one who
lives to get ont will return here and
notify the camps DO You under
stand"
Perfectly We are 10 hunt for each
other in the basin, and shoot on sight.
One OF us will be left there. The one
who goes first turns on his trail and
returns. We can stick 10 the trail or
take TO the woods. We may be hunt
Ing each other for half day or half a
week"
That's the idea, and now we'll toss
up to zee who goes first. Is II heads
or tails?"
Heads" said the leader.
The coin which Williams tossed in
to the air fell tall up. and he rose up
and said