The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-09


Hughes said TO giratton. who turned as II
TO join the crowd over In the corner.
1T would have been so perfectly easy
Tor one OF the group of lookoats and
dealers over in that corner 10 have plugged
Hughes where he stood, waving his guns.
that II seems peculiar none OF EN- tried
Il. I suppose IL was because they all
knew that in the shooting Hughes 'ud
be found TO do. even as he went down,
! each had chance to get some OF the lead.
'"Bratton.' said Hughes. never taking
his eye OF the crowd IN the corner. 'you'er
more different kinds and colors Of skunk.
tln-horn and counterfeit than I've got
hairs on the back OF my hand. amt you?
eyes replied Bratton swallowing
gulp A man who looks into a waving.
nickering gun muzzle will agree 10 any old
proposition.
"And you don't want to do no more
brace work I'm this camp. do your In
Quired Hughes. who was a mailman Just
then. II he did talk quietly.
"No, answered Grafton.
well said Overland Doc that beln'
The case you can just pick up them four
tables. one by one. and chuck 'em out o.
that window that you dropped my hid
brother from.
damn you, Hughes said Bratton.
bug-house. or what's the matter with
yOu?'
Ion the loDe. and no more chaw.' said
Hughes. IN give you five seconds to
poke the first one out
"Bratton wheeled, with an inprecation
and picked w the faro table nearest the
window. IL landed on the plank sidewalk
below with a crash. Gold and silver and
paper money chips and cards and box
went with t.
1.-The next one. said Hughes. who stood
there quietly waving his guns 20 and fro.
as II he wasn't in instant danger Of death
at the hands Of one Of the men, or all Of
them. In the corner.
"Bratton threw the next nearest table
out. with all on top Of Il. Then he threw
the third and fourth table out. for Hughes
had him impaled with his eye
OUT THu WINDOW.
Now said Hughes. after Grafton had
chucked the last table OF his layout out
OF the window. and stoOd regarding
Hughes for all the world Ike a grizzly
with a whole fore-Quarter IN a trap, you
follow your outfit
Hughes was three inches shorter In
stature. and weighed fully forty pounds
less than Bratton. who was giant. Bat
he jabbed his guns into his belt. the
bunch in the corner making never
4 move and in two leaps he had Dratton
around the waist. Bratton. before being
grabbed that way. had made "A dive FOR
his desk to get a gun. but he wasn't sud
den enough Hughes lifted him clear
Of the ground. like grocery boy lifts a
ten-pounder paper bag Of flour and Brat
ton followed his outfit lie landed on
his feet but his left leg was broken just
below the knee. That was the exact
pace where Hughes kid brothers leg had
been broken when Bratton threw him out
of the same window
Hughes got his guns out the instant he
threw BrattOn out of the window. and
covered the bunch In the corner again.
amt got nothln' again the boys
that's been stackin mp agin this game he
remarked. resuming his gun-fanning
move, except that they'd be a he'll Of a
sight better of If they'd play bean-bag. or
some;,lin like that. instid o. tryin 4 whop
two-at-a-chp bank game. But I'm sor-
~ C. have bin compelled 20 stick up AN
hands In order t. make this little ola~.
which is an on account Of a dude brother
O. mine that got the worst Of it at this
honkstonk lately. But if any o. you
BRATTON KILLS.
Bang went the report Of a gun. The
report came from the door. Bratton with
his broken lex, had crawled mp the stairs
and with a gun The greaser doorman had
handed him had tried for overland Docs
ia. lie went wide a couple of inches and
the next time BIattou's trigger came down
there was nothing but a snap. 10 was "a
defective cartridge. Hughes killed him
where he lay never a move being made
by 70 man In the bunch rounded I'D I'm the
corner. and then he backed out over Brat
toms body. That was the close of that
incident.
"A couple Of years later Overland Doc
had some trouble with Lem Hawley. the
proprietor of the Gilt Edge honkatonk i'm
Ia Junta. The two men had got into
an argument In the saloon, and it wound
up by Hughes backing out of the door with
his hands up, Hawiey having the drop
on him. Hawley didn't shoot because his
gun wasn't loaded-he had been cleaning
ii. and had forgotten TO replace the cart
ridges He'd have killed Hughes other
wise.
THAT same night Hughes sent word TO
Hawley that he was going 20 shoot him
up some on the following day. Haw'ey
wasn't man to take 90 the cliffs or Che
cactus. having a few notches himself. and
DE walked around the next afternoon heel
ed Ike n battery Of light artillery. Hughes
bulged him by turning q corner suddenly
as Hawiey paraded down the main street.
and HaWleys hands went up for q change.
Hughes had two guns covering him and
Hawley wasn't any fool.
A LOVE FEAST.
" This said Hughes. is where I get a
fair break for my money. Now. You like
me so much that 1 want you L show your
appreciation o. me. As IL were. by walkin
around town linked arms with me Tor
awhile.
1T was up to Hawley TO comply.
Hughes jabbed his guns back into his belt,
and then he clutched Hawleys leIt arm
and passed IL through his right. The dis
advantages OF this arrangement accrued
to- Hughes II left Hawleys right gun
arm free while in case OF argument
Hughes nd have had 10 use his LETT gun.
But Overland Doc wasn't selfish.
THE population OF La Junta was amazed
10 see Overland Doc Hughes and Lem
Hawley. who had had quarrel that
meant the death Of one or both Of them
the night before walking arm-in-arm up
and down the main street of The town. II
looked like a perambulating love-feast
between the two Of 'em. But they were |
watching each other like cats. At the !
end of the street Hughes. still with his |
right arm linked 20 Hawley's left, stopped /
suddenly and said:
Lem. / amt much on the blow about |
any suddenness that ] may possess, but -!
want L give you a chance. You thrung |
II into me last night In a way that's eat /
up so much OF the air around here that |