Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-01-21

trail and returns. We can stick to
the trail or take TO the woods We
may be hunting each ether for half
a day or half a week.
aThat'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:
"It's for me to go FIRST. Boys,
you all understand this matter. On
| ly one of us is to come back, and
there's to be no hard feelings about
it. If I'm left behind you'll push
on with Bill here for your leader
What I've got in my packs you are
welcome to divide between you.
! got l5 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. It
was to be man hunt to the death,
and they had talked it over as cody
as if the subject was a bear or deer.
Williams took with him a rifle, q
revolver, knife, SO extra cartridges
and some bread and meat. When
ready to go be shook hands with
the two white men of the party,
nodded to the others and to US and
said to johnson:
ain an hour shall reach the far
side and be ready to turn back.
Sorry the earth isn't big enough for
both of us, but we happen to be
built that way. It's fair show for
both, and there'll be nothing to kick
oyer.'
During the hour allowed him
johnson cleaned his firearms, over
hauled his pack and gave some in
structions as TO what should be done
with certain interests in case he did
not return. When the hour was up
he shook hands with all around, had
a word with the men of the other
camp, and he was whistling as be.
disappeared from view. II was at
once agreed between the two camps
that there should be peace, and each
man found something at which TO
busy himself. The general idea was
that the affair in the basin would be
over before noon, but those who
argued thus made mistake. While
both men meant to kill, neither pro-
posed TO take any chances. Life was
the stake to be played for, and the
game was to be drawn out.
When Williams had crossed the
basin he turned and headed back
| south, but not on the trail. He
knew johnson too we'll to suppose
that he would make his way to the
center of the basin on the trail. He
entered the woods on his right and
made his way along through the
tangle and over the powders with
the stealth of an Indian. AS our
leader entered the basin he also en-
tered the woods on his right. The
| two men thus made half circle and
were as far away from each other as
the limit allowed. The basin con-
tanned about 500 scres of land and
was walled in on every side. The
trees were not large, but the under
growth was very thick, and there
were also great many powders ly.
ing about.
As Williams circled to the south
and johnson to the north, each
made half circle before finding the
others trail. The distance covered
by this half circle was about two
miles, and such was the caution
with which the men moved that
it was afternoon before they came
upon eigns. Each ones plan was
now plain to the other, and both at
once changed. That is, each return.
ed over his own trail, or within
reaching distance OF it. This change
simply prevented meeting. When
one man reached the north end of
the trail the other was back at the
south end, and it was four o'clock,
in the afternoon. Then each took
the trail and held 1t to point with
in 200 feet of the center, and Viii.
liams left it for the woods to his
right. Without suspecting each
others presence they crept carefully
forward until only so feet separated
them. Then a wolf dsshing out
from the space between them gave
both men the cue, and each man be-
gan working for a shot. johnson
had before him three or four vine
covered powders, and he crept under
the vines and was so we'll hidden
that even the eyes Of a fox could not
have made him out. Half az hour
passed, and it was growing dark in
the forest, when Williams rose up
alongside tree and began peering
about. His uprising was like that
of shadow, and for ten minutes he
did not expose finger as target.
Then he either became impatient or
figured that johnson was not at
hand, and his head left the shelter
of the tree TO get better look. 1t
| uaS foo dork for yohnSan RI rrot