Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-07-21
| A Judgment By a Lion

wv talnS near fremOntS peak-tne
six of us, who had been prospecting for
| three months-and we had scarcely
struck the trail when we ran upon a
mountain outfit There were three
white men, two half-breeds, a Mexican
and negro. and the party had six pack
mules with them. They had just gone
into camp for the night, and after
hearty greetings all around we pitched
our tents alongside and cooked our
suppers at the same camp fire. The
strangers were bound up 10 Little
Squaw mountain on a hunt for gold.
The 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 it was, only portion OF
the men dared TO play, as the day had
been q tiresome Que to all. Our chief.
Frank johnson, OF Nevada. sat down
with Williams, and both were in great
good nature as | wrapped myself in
my blanket and fell asleep. had slept
for two hours when aroused by the
sounds Of quarrel. was the last man
OF the IS TO roll out, and found every
one of the 10 with a gun in his hand.
II seemed that the two leaders had be-
gun playing for money and, luck be-
ing with our man, be had won heavily.
Then there came a dispute as to some
point, the lie was passed and the men
of both outfits were ready to open fire
on each other. It was the other crowd
which backed down. Williams realized
that he could not depend upon the Mex
lean and the negro and was, therefore,
flung down his gun and said to john
son:
s'The crowd has nothing TO do with
this row, and ! reckon we are men
enough to settle it between ourselves"
I'm any way you choose" replied
johnson.
"Well. then. I'll tell you my plan in
the morning. One of us has TO go under
for what has passed. but tomorrow win
be long day. Let's call it off for to-
night"
The two leaders shook hands, and Y
for one believed that it would be the
end of the quarrel. | said as much to
one of our men as we lay down again,
but he whispefingly replied:
"You don't know the men. There Is
an old grudge between them. They
will fight tomorrow. sure, and they
will fight until one of them is dead"
"a duel with rifles, pistols or knives?"
I asked.
81 can't say. Both are square men.
and it will be square fight. Jim Will
,liams is one OF the gamest men in all
the west, and as he has found his match
there'll be fight worth talking about
for the next 20 years"
The men of both camps slept peace
fully during the remainder of the night
and as we prepared and ate breakfast
nobody had a word to say about the
trouble of the night before. The two
leaders gave each other good morn
ing" and chatted about the weather,
and l 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 as soon as
breakfast was over. when Williams took
seat beside johnson and quietly OBJ
served:
you are in no hurry, / take it, and
day or two will make no difference to
our men,"
I'VE can stop here week as well as
not" was the reply.
"Just ahead of us. to the north, is
Jackson's BASIN"
Zone of us is to leave here at nine
o'clock. II will take him an hour to
reach the far side. At ten o'clock the
other will leave. We will hunt for each
other in the basin. The one who lives
to get out will return here and notify
the camps. Do you understand"
Perfectly. We are to hunt for each
other in the basin and to shoot on sight
One of us will be left there. The one
who goes first turns on his trail and
returns. We can stick to the trail or
take to the woods. We may be hunt
ing each other for half day or half
week"
That's the idea, and now we'll toss
up to see who goes first. Is it heads or
tails?"
Heads" said our leader.
The coin which Williams tossed into
the air fell tail up. and he rose up and
said:
Its for me to go first Boys, you all
understand this matter. Only one of us
is to come back. and there's to be no
hard feelings about it. If I'm left be-
hind you'll push or with Bill here for
your leader. What I've got in.my packs
you are welcome to divide between you.
I've got Is minutes to get ready in"
| heard every word of the above, as
had every other man in camp, but it was
hard for me to realize that the men were
in sober earnest. 1t was to be a man
hunt to the death, and they had talked
it over as coolly as if the subject was
bear or deer. Williams took with him
a rife. revolver, knife. so extra car
tridges and some bread and meat.
When ready IN on he shook hands with