The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-07-13

Ns.AN
haven't got heart disease or anything
like that-and ] am hungry-hungry
for something better than ~Salt-horse
and ~new-killed mutton. What's the
joke. anyhow
There's no joke. Cookie, there, has
challenged you to a duel with rifles
ten yards limit. I'm holding your
horse. The boss is looking after his.
What do you say:'
Say? Why, I say he's an ass, that's
what. I don't want to kill the fool, and
l don't propose to let him kill me-"
The cooks nervousness left him sud-
denly.
Yah, he's a chicken-hearted Johnny
c~ome-lately," he cried. turning to
Barnes. II knew it all the time. He's
scared and l knew he would be. I'm
satisfied. l don't want to kill a man
that's half scared to death to start
with. YAH" He kicked the turkeys
as he spoke.
"Oh. you DON'T" Chopper snorted,
red with rage. We'll. I do. by thunder.
Kick my turkeys, will you? Take that
and that"
That" and that" were foot applica-
tons upon that part of the cooks per-
son which should have been covered
by his coat tails had he worn a coat
with tails to it.
Jackson ran in between them. I'D
eat the heart of q man who did that to
me-" he Kissed in the cooks ear.
Nothing but blood will wipe this OUT
he said gravely to Chopper. Nothing
but blood. I'm backing Cookie"
"Come on. then" said the angry new
chum. IF he must have it, he shall
take q bath in his own"
They started down to the fiat. Crop
per and Barnes in the lead, Jackson
bringing up the rear with the cook.
Jackson was busy wrenching the
bullets out of a handful of cartridges
and filling their places with pulped
plug tobacco. Where the edge of the
fat sloped down to the Billybung they
came to a halt. The stream there was
hedged off by a thick growth of waffle
bushes, six feet high. Even cattle
could not penetrate it, which was a
good thing for the cattle, because just
there the Billybung swirled over a
bed of Quicksand that would have
begged them in short order.
Jackson placed the men ten PAGES
apart, the cook with his back to the
bushes, and between Chopper and the
river. Then he handed each mar a
rifle.
Fire at the word" he said.
"And just remember that III fire at
the man that fires before the word"
Barnes put in, looking significantly at
the cook.
Mr.. johnson shut his one eye in a
long wink, and grinned as he directed
Barnes attention, by the wave of the
hand, to Chopper. You'll see," he
muttered.
The new chum's face had grown
white. His passion had worn itself
out.
Say, Cookie he called out, whats
the use? Can't this thing be settled
some other way?"
Il told you he was chicken-hearted,"
the cook shouted to the others. mo;
it can't, you white-livered idiot" ha
replied to Chopper. Il am going I'd
fill you full of holes"
The new chum's face grew red again.
"Ill make you crawl for that" he
said.
Ready" Jackson asked. Fire"
Both guns We're discharged at the
same moment. Chopper tried to get
out another shell, but the shortened
cartridge got damned between the
magazine and the lift and disabled his
rife.
The cook was having better luck.
dropped his piece slowly. worked the
lever carefully, brought the gun to his
cheek confidently. fred and repeated.
Chopper worked frantically for a mo-
ment to clear his gun. then straight
ened up and threw it aside.
The cook let out a yell Of triumph.
Now watch him rum he cried. Next
instant he shrieked in terror. threw his
OWL gun away and started at top
speed for the waffle patch.
Stop him." he yelled. Take it
away from him! Don't let him murder
mer'
No n but Chopper had thought Of
the ivory handled siX-shooter at his
hip.
The new chum drew it as he threw
away his rife, and as it flashed in the
air the cook saw it and turned tail.
The new chum fired two shots over
the head Of the fleeing cook. and then
collapsed in q fit of laughter. The
cook flew at the waffle bush, and as
he reached it he rose in the air and
sailed over it.
When they got him with a rope he
was up to his armpits in the quicksand
a9d begged in fearful tones to be
saved. 1t was Chopper who passed
him the rope.-New York News.