Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-13
REAL

The Fielders always bore the reputa-
ton of being the nerviest set of men of
Silver City. The old man had shot some
dozen in his time, although to look at
him you would never think him a des-
perado. The first son, Idus, a a record
almost as good, while Jim, the most
gentlemanly man in the district, could
walk over any sober man in the west.
He was a tall man, with mild, brown
eyes. and a quiet. refined face. 1t had
never been known just how he came to
be so feared. 1t could not be proved that
he had ever shed blood. Perhaps 1t was
the air, or the short way be talked. No
sober man. the boys all said, would cross
Jim for a moment, yet when Clanton
came into the bar that night he was not
dead drunk He was not sufficiently
drunk to be d~enominated beastly. 1t was
doubtless his fate egging him on. For he
walked right up to Jim and started a
quarrel. d.
"Jim," he said, lend me $10?"
I've only got a couple of dollars in my
pocket, old man." said Fielder, "but you
are welcome to Them"
II don't want 50, 1 want $lO," returned
Clanton angrily, n then he shut his
mouth down hard and looked at Jim with
that nasty CLEAN of the eye which peo-
pie who knew Clanton recognized as a
sure sign of trouble.
Fielder saw that the fellow was drunk
and quarrelsome. but he liked the man
when he vas sober, and he tried to avoid
trouble
Il am sorry I haven't got more" said
he, "but it's all Nv got. If you'll wait a
minute I'll go out and borrow some
money and lend it to you"
mo, d-n you," Clanton came back, II
can borrow for myself. You nave got
lplenty of money in your pocket. and If
I Win rnynp' S,1.h n 1,p,,,l Io@ -,
have what l WANT"
Fielder's face flushed up a little at
these words. but he controlled himself
and made another effort to pacify the
unreasonable fellow.
! I'm tell you what I'll do said he, "Ill
take off my watch and pawn it, If that
will satisfy you. l am telling you the
truth. | haven't any money besides the
50 here in my pocket, but if you'll be easy
I'll get you all you want" and, 50 saying,
he tried to walk way.
You don't have to pawn nothing for
me- said Clanton. eff you don't want to
let me have the $40 you can go to --.''
Fielder stood facing the bar. leaning
with his shoulders against the wall.
From his right hand he dangled q small
cane, in the right side of his mouth he
held a cigar. He did not say anything in
answer to this last remark.
ClantOn stood near the bar about seven
feet distant. After drinking a glass of
whisky that sat before him he turned
and faced Fielder, drew a revolver and,
saying, Oh you, I'll just kill you any
how" fired three shots at him point
blank
Fielder never moved a muscle. by
some strange nance none of the shots
struck him. One ball went within q half
inch OF his cheek, another passed under
his arm and near his breast, the third
went wild.
After the third shot Clanton stopped,
apparently surprised at his bad lnarks-
manship.
Fielder, still leaning back and calmly
cycling his would-be murderer, now
shifted his cigar from the right side Of
his mouth to the left, passed the cane
over into his left hand, reached back to
his hip, and, saying, We'll, are you all
through, C~lanton?' drew a revolver and
fired one shot. Then he replaced the re-
volver in his pocket, took his cane into
his right hand again and walked out.
What did Clanton do about it? Moth
ing. That ball from Fielder's gun went
through his heart.