The Somerset reporter., 1901-01-17

THE AMERICAN LEAPED FORWARD LIKE A
FLASH.
evening approached fire beside which
Hines sat alone and threw a package
Of powder on the blaze. With q leap
aside be escaped consequences. but
lack Hines was blinded for life. 1t
was contemplate thing to do, and
but for the civil authorities the Mexi-
can would have been lynched. AS it
was. he was kicked and beaten and
bounced out Of camp. A day or two
later, as the girl had gone back on him.
be tried to carry her off by force, but
had to let her go when she stabbed
him. Hines depended on her pity in
his misfortune, but she calmly told him
that q blind husband would be of no
use to her and laughed his tears to
scorn. He had relative In the city
and was taken in and cared for, while
the Mexican crossed the Rio Grande for
time. 1t was n year later and Jacks
old outfit ard all his friends happened
to be in Santa ffe again when Don re-
turned. He had grown uglier and
meaner In the II months. We would
hove picked fuss with him and shot
him down, but Jack Hines had no soon
or heard of his presence than he said
Boys. you must arrange for a duel.
| shall never rest content until | have
killed that Mevican."
But you are blind" we protested.
Never mind that. | must fight him
and kill him, blind or not. and the
whole Of Santa Fee shall look on"
When we found that he would hive
II so. we carried challenge to Don
and also asked the authorities to let us
have public duel. Some weak objec
TORS were made. but thev yielded the
point A fight of some sort was an
hourly incident. and duels came off
two or three times per week. The
Mexican laughed in derislon at the
idea. hut readily accepted the chal-
lenge.
Eyes. will meet the Americana" hn
said land | will slice and cut and
prick for one hour by the watch before
! rive him the grand finish The crowd
that looks on will ser some of rho
finest knife play ever shown on This
side OF the river Tomorrow mt noon
thf ! will be as prompt as the sun"
You may believe that when the re-
port spread about there was great Px-
element 1t was generally believed
that tho blind man would fall an easy
victim, brt even bis best friends said
that he had better die with n knife IN
his band than TO live in helpless state
the rest Of his life To three or four
of us Jack confded his belief that he
would triumph His hearing had be
come as acute as fox's. and he
would make his ears see for him TIn
was In perfect health. had the nerve
and courage of lion. and be believed
he had chance
At high noon of an August day over
1000 people. many Of whom were
women. assembled on the smooth turf
to witness the strange combat. ring
Of ropes was formed and the specta-
tors forced another 1t was TO be a
duel with knives. and seconds and a
referee were appointed. After each
five minutes there was to be rest.
Foremost among the spectators was
the girl who had caused it all. and she
was free to say she didn't care who
triumphed. Each man was allowed to
wrap his left arm in serape or cloak
and all cheering or advising was for
hidden. The blind man was pale faced
and nervous as the fight began. but
his hard shut teeth told of the de.
termination In his heart. The MeXi.
can was all bows and smiles and conf
dence and as he was known to be an
adept with the knife groan went