Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-03-23
AN ARIZONA EPISODE.
BY COSMOS MINDELEFF

renamed seated. VIII g barton backed
off to the rear of the tent.
The little fellow looked at me, and
looked at him. Neither spoke for a
minute or more. Finally the suspense
became too great; he shifted from one
! foot to the other and presented such a
picture OF uneasiness that / laughed.
At this he recovered his self-possession
and said:
"Good day! I ha el't been intro
duced to you; my tme is Carter.
! Leonard, introduce me to this gentle
man. Leonard yelled out my name,
and Carter resumed: "We've come
down with our friend Leonard here to
see that he gets satisfaction for the
way you've treated him. We've de-
cided that you'll either have to put up
your dukes against all three of us or
wade the river three times
''Very well, replied. "In that
| case | will fight. [ expect you to act
as my second and see that have fair
play. Draw a ring outside, and | will
join you in moment" I knew that
l would have to remove my coat and
vest, and / wished to get rid of my re-
volver without letting them see it.
AS they went out / turned to Bar
| ton and, to my CONSERVATION, found
| him the picture of abject fear. Fat
ting my revolver into the holster I
handed it to him and told him to stand
by the door with it when l went ont,
to closely watch the men during the
| fight and if either of them raised his
! gun, or if more than one at time at
tackled me, to fire into the crowd, and
pected shot / would have an opportu-
nifty to break for the tent, snatch the
revolver from his hands and from be-
hind the shelter of the big tree hold
my own against them.
Barton said he understood and
promised to follow my instructions.
Afterward / learned that as soon as
turned my back he dropped the pistol
and ran out into the bushes, where he
hid himself But not knowing this at
the time I went out with confidence
ring.
Leonard was almost exactly my
height and weight, aud as he stood be-
fore me stripped to a tight-fitting
undershirt, trousers and moccasins, l
could see the movement of his muscles
as he put up his guard and made play
with his hands. He seemed no mean
antagonist, and / thought as l exam
iued him critically that / would have
to do my best, disabled as 1 was, if
held my own in the coming struggle.
But 1 noticed that his face was flushed
with drink and excitement, and in that
felt that / had an advantage.
The ring had been drawn nearly in
the centre of the open space; Carter
and his companion stood little to one
side with their pistols in their hands,
''to see fair play" and they notified
me that if l made the slightest move
which they considered unfair they
would take hand in the fight. Car
ter came up and examined my clothing
to see that had no weapon. Then,
turning to Leonard, he said:
"We'll see that you do him up"
and moment later asked him, care
You ready?"
By this time number of Indians
and Mexicans had appeared, attracted
by the sound of the firing, and they
stood in little groups some distance
of, ready to break away into the
bushes if pistol play RECOMMENDED.
"Play ball!' shouted Carter, and l
advanced and put up my guard. Leon
ard made pass at me, but failed to
land. had been good boxer in my
boyhood days, and the knowledge now
stood me in good stead.
While the sparring was going on l
kept one eye on Carter and the big
man. i was afraid that straight
knockou blow delivered by me would
be the signal for two pistol shots and
that Barton might not be quick enough
to fire first. 1 temporized, sparring
lightly until Carter called out:
"Kick him, Leonard; kick the stuff
fiug out of him."
"Hold on,'' I cried, Kicking is not
allowed" for / had been notified that
"this was to be fair fight, no rough
and tumble"
"Kicking is all right, reioined Car
ter in a surly tone. This angered me,
and as Leonard made another rush at
me met him half way, and striking
through his guard 1 landed my right
full in his face. Leonard spun around
aud around and finally measured his
length on the ground, fully twelve feet
from where 1 stood. AS he fell I
whirled upon his two companions and
cried ont, Zone for me.
eyes, that's one for you," replied
Carter. "But it's my turn next"
"Wait moment" replied. 'I'm
not through with Leonard yet, nor
will be until he has said he has had
enough"
'I've had enough" rejoined Leon
ard, rising to his feet cts Carter's
turn now. Give me that gun, and if
he hits you the way he hit me I'll blow
his head of. -
eff Leonard has enough, so have
l." was my reply. 81 shall certainly