Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-01-21
A Judgment by a Lion.

w Z nOo SODlC AONA Oll bQC inOQuGs
aims near Freemont's peak-the 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, Mex
lean 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 along
side and cooked our suppers at the
same camp fire.
The strangers we're bound up to
Little Squaw mountain on o hunt
for gold. The leader was Jim Will
liams.
There would have been no trou-
BILE bet Seen the two outfits but for
the cards which were introduced
after supper. And, as it was, only
a portion OF the men dared to play,
as the day had been tiresome one
to all. Our chief, Frank Johnson,
of Nevada, sat down with Williams,
ard 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
zone of the IL with qua 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 a dis
pute as to some point, the lie was
passed and the men of both outfits
were ready to open fire on each
other. 1t was the other crowd
which backed down. Williams real
ICED that he could not depend upon
the Mexican and the negro and was,
therefore, overmatched. After q
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 our
selves"
"Tn any way you choose" replied
johnson.
"Well, then, I'll tell you my plan
in the morning. One Of US has to
60 under for what has passed. Lets
call it off for tonight"
The two leaders shook hands, and
l 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 whisperipgly re-
piled:
"You don't know the men. There
is an old grudee between them.
They will fight tomorrow, sure, and
they will fight until one of them is
dead"
"a duel with rifles, pistols or
knives?' / asked.
II can't say. Both are square
men, and it will be a square fight.
Jim Williams is one of the gamest
men in all the west, and as be has
found his match there'll be a fight
worth talking about for the next 90
years..
The men of both camps slept
peacefully during tue remainder of
the night and as We prepared and
ate breakfast nobody had q word to
say about the trouble of the night
before. The two leaders gave each
other good morning and chatted
about the weather, and / would have
wagcred my all that the hard words
had been forgotten and forgiven. /
was looking for the order to pack
up and move on IS soon IS breakfast
was over, when Williams took seat
beside johnson and quietly observ-
ed:
"You are in no hurry, I take it,
and day or two will make no diff
ference TO our men,
1--WE can stop here week as we'll
as not was the reply.
"Just ahead of us, to the north. is
Jackson's BASIN"
lone of US is to leave here at nine
O'Clock. It 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
sight. One of us will he left there.