Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-01
WILD WEST SCENES.
Episodes That Indicate That Elem


of Danger Has Been Exaggerated.
From the New York Sun.
1t was midnight as laundering knock
came at the door of room No. 4S, Phoenix
Hotel
What is wanted?" asked the occupant
as he sat up in bed with furiously beating
heart.
1--WE want you! Open this door,"
''Never."
"Then take the consequences"
The man sprang out of bed and hurriedly
dressed himself. His face was pale and his
hands trembled, but he shut his lips with
determination to sell his life dearly. He
heard footsteps moving in the hall, and
presently his door was burst from its hinges
and dozen men burst into the room
They found him standing with a revolver
in each hand and the light of battle in his
eyes.
you may hang me- he said In low
tense voice, 'but twelve of you will go into
the other world before me-
''Who said anything about hanging In
Quired voice.
But you have come for that. Twelve
years ago in this town l killed four men.
You have recognized me and have come
for revenge
Not much, stranger We don't know
anything about the four men and don't
want to- You live in Missouri, don't your
Il do"
well, what we wanted to ask was
whether three of kind beat a straight in
your state
They do not
Then that's all, and you can go back to
your Snooze. Sorry to have disturbed you,
but had dispute and wanted to settle
it,"
For fifty miles pursued and pursuer had
distance they
flew over the trackless prairie. Now and
then one had gained or lost, but the race
had become one of endurance instead of
speed. AT last, an hour before sunset, the
face of the pursued began to lose its hope
full expression as he felt his horse giving
way under him. He pressed home the
cruel spurs, and the beaten animal seemed
infused with new life, but only for few
minutes.
Il am doomedr' he exclaimed in despair
ing accents his faithful horse staggered
again.
From behind him came fiendish yels of
rejoicing.
Another mile, and the horse of the pur-
sued sank down in his tracks. and his rider
stood with folded arms and a defiant look
on his face to wait the others coming.
$50, I've got YOU said the pursuer, as
he rode up and dismounted.
You have"
You know me to be the sheriff of Cold
Chuck?
Il do"
"A ID that I never let man escape inc.
This forenoon as you rode through our
town l shouted to you
Yes. You recognized me as Dandy Jim.
the road agent, but | hoped to outrun YOU
II did nothing of the kind. ! asked you
for chaw of tobacco, and you was SO
burned mean about it that I've follered you
fifty miles to show you what sort of a man
| am. Do YOU chaw?"
'"Of course l do"
And will you give me chaw?"
with the greatest of pleasure. AS my
horse is dead, | do not see how I can go
back with you"
NO one wants you to-
But didn't YOU follow on to arrest rne"''
Not by blamed sight l fOllered on to
make you hand over that chaw | asked for,
and YOU jest let this be a warnin' to yoa.
Next time YOU ride through Cold Chuck
and | yell for chaw you want to come
right down with half a plug"
All at once two men. each armed with
two guns leaped into the middle of the
street and began firing al each other. Pop.
bang, pop, The street was cleared of pc
destrians, and men looked from behind
shelter with bated breath. Six shots ten
fifteen, twenty.
Are they both dead?" was asked in whis
pers
Pop, bang. pop,
But they must be dead now
Fifty shots. 100. go. Then a man who
had been asleep in distant saloon slowly
awoke and shamhlad outdoors and down
the street. When he reached the fighters
the four guns were still blazing but he
closed in and took both men by the ear
and led the pair around the corner and
gave them the boot and said:
How many times hev I got to warn We
that it's agin the ordinance to shoot off
frecrackers?"