The true northerner., 1899-01-25
A Judgment By a Lion


white men, two half-breeds, Mexican
and a 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 alongside and cooked our
suppers at the same camp fire. The
strangers were bound up 10 Little
The leader was Jim Williams.
There would have been no trouble
between the two outfits but for the
cards which were introduced after sup
per. And, as il was, only a portion of
the men dared TO play, as the day had
been a tiresome one TO all. Our chief.
Frank johnson, of Nevada, sat down
with Williams, and 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 13 TO roll out, and i found every
one of the - with gun in his hand.
1t seemed that the two leaders had be-
gun playing for money and, luck be-
ing with our man, he had won heavily.
Then there came q dispute as to some
point, the lie was passed and the men
cf both outfits were ready to open fire
each other. 1t was the other crowd
ich backed down. Williams realized
ut he could not depend upon the Mex
n and the negro and was, therefore,
hrmatched. After a moment, he
ing down his gun and said to john
Bra; -.
Che crowd has nothing to do with
4 row. and | reckon we are men
rlgh TO settle it between ourselves"
any way you choose" replied
Mrfson.
newell, then. I'll tell you my plan in
Drgnorning. One of us has to 60 under
{fewvhat has passed. but tomorrow will
Ma long day Let's call it off for to-
|eaj nt'
6T'he two leaders shook hands, and |
one believed that it would be the
''' d of the quarrel. I said as much to
Cle of our men as we lay down again,
elut he whisperingly replied
M'You don't know the men. There is
AN old grudge between them. They
will fight tomorrow. sure, and they
will fight until one Of them is dead"
"a duel with rifles, pistols or lnives?'
] asked.
II can't say. Both are square men,
and it will be a square fight. Jim Will
liams is one of the gamest men in all
the west. and as he has found his match
there'll be a fight worth talking about
for the next 90 years"
The men of both camps slept peace
fully during the 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 morn
ing" and chatted about the weather
and I would have wagered my all that
the hard words had been forgotten and
forgiven. / was looking for the order
10 pack up and move on as soon as
breakfast was over. when Williams took
a seat beside Johnson and quietly OBJ
served:
!. "You are in no hurry. take it, and a
May or two will make no difference tc
oG Npen."
"NN-can stop here a week as well as
not" was the reply.
"Just ahead of us, TO the north, is
JacksonFs basin"
Zone Of us is TO leave here at nine
o'clock. 1t will take him an hour tC
reach the far side. At ten o'clock th'
other will leave. We will hunt for eacf
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 eacl
other i'm the basin and TO shoot on sight
One of us will be left there. The on
who goes first turns on his trail anC
returns. We can stick to the trail o.
ing each other for half day or half
week"
That's the idea, and now wei tos
up to see who goes first. Is it heads o
tails?"
Heads" said our leader.
The coin which Williams tossed int
the air fell tail up, and he rose up an,
said:
"It's for me to GO first. Boys, you al
understand this matter. Only one of u
is to come back, and there's to be n
hard feelings about it. If I'm left be
hind you'll push on with Bill here fo
your leader. What I've got in my pack
you are welcome to divide between yoJ
I've got IS minutes TO get ready in"
| heard every word of the above, a
had every other man in camp, but it wa
hard for me to realize that the men wer
in sober earnest. 1t was to be n ma
hunt to the death, and they had talke
it over as coolly as if the subject was
bear or deer. Williams took with hiI
a rifle. a revolver, a knife, so extra cal
tridges and some bread and mea
When ready to GO he shook hands wit
the two white men Of the party, nodde
10 the others and to us and said [
Johnson:
SIN an hour l shall reach the far sid
and be ready to turn back. Sorry tn
earth isn't big enough for both Of u
but we happen TO be built that wa.
It's fair show for both, and there'll i
nothing to kick over"