The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-11-02
BY JULIAN JOSEPHSON.

lhCll WIVES duu CiiiluIcu-ldu UcSu
struggling in since daylight. Now at
noon the street was alive with figures
Longing in front of San Marcials
three saloons in evenly numbered
groups were about thirty ranchers and
whites, Mexicans, and In
dians. Nearly as many horses were
tethered to the scrub oaks at the side
of the road.
The stranger in San Marcial walked
thoughtfully up the street, and stopped
a moment before the saloon that looked
most promising. Then gripping his
satchel firmly he walked in. The place
was crowded with noisy, demonstrativc
fellows. Some were drinking at the
bar; others were playing cards in the
back of the room; the rest were stand
ing around the big, barrel-shaped
stove. AS the stranger entered there
was momentary hush which he could
not but notice.
The loungers gaped at him, sized
him up critically, and looked amused.
The bartender INDUCED in a smile
that was bland, polite, almost imper-
ceptible. Those at the bar rested their
glasses for short start. Then grad
ually the stranger became less and less
an object of interest, until finally he
was scarcely noticed.
Reading the signs Alright the strang-
er walked up to the bar, and putting
Town dime quietly ordered whis-
Key. He swallowed the fiery stuff with
a slight grimace, and was about to
leave when he heard some words at
his elbow which caused him to keep
his place. The talk at his elbow
went on. And as he listened the lines
of his good-natured mouth relaxed
broadly and the bright little eyes
twinkled. He whirled about, left the
saloon. and walked rapidly until he
came to his resting-place of the night
before. Placing his satchel carefully
Upon the ground he opened it and
took out chamois-covered package
Untying the buckskin strings he un-
wound the chamois-sl1in wrapping un-
I'll four superb pistols became visible.
They were of the finest workmanship.
the barrels long and slender Taking
the guns up affectionately the strang-
ar scrutinized every part. He tested
the trigger, the cylinder, and the
sight Then apparently satisfied, he re-
loaded each chamber carefully. and
put the pistols back in their wrap
ping.
Holding out both hands with the
palms downward, he regarded them,
critically. STEADY as a rock!" he
nuttered to himself And the little
eyes twinkled merrily from under
their half-closed lids.
At two o'clock an occasional stray
5ler might have been seen entering the
lacant lot behind Shields saloon. BY
three o'clock crowd of two hundred
men had gathered there At the far
End of the lot were two old army
targets, freshly painted white, upon
which the great Shields himself, chalk
n hand, was at this moment placing
number of concentric circles. A large,
.rudely ,2ttered placard placed mid
way between the two targets an
aounced that the great pistol shot con-
test for the championship of San Mar
cial County and prize Of one hun
1red dollars in gold was to begin at
falf-past three sharp.
The placard called it a contest. But
rs a matter Of fact everybody in San
Marcial felt pretty certain that there
would be only one contestant Pitted
against goodly number of men-all
more or less noted for their prowess
with the pistol-Tim Whitsett had
twice given conclusive proof of his SUI
pcriority. For the last two years he
had carried Off the prize-badly de-
eating the best of his competitors AS
iefeat seemed certain and there was
only one prize, no one else now cared
20 enter the lists. But then San Mar
cial considered Whitsetts shooting
alone worth the seeing.
The judge of the contest was no 9TH
T than Bob Evans, sheriff of the
county. Mounting the box which had
been set up against the back of the
saloon to serve as the judges stand,
ne raised his hand for silence:
'FNellow-citizens, the following con-
test is for the championship of San
Marcial County and prize of one
hundred dollars in gold. 1t is open 10
all corners. The rules are as follows:
Each man must empty four six-shoot-
ers, which are to be drawn from the
holsters and fired. Two holsters are
to be worn at the belt and one under
each armpit--and each brace of pistols
is to be put back in its holsters be-
fore the second brace is fired. In de-
Gliding the points, the number of shots
in the target and the time taken to
put them there will both be counted.
| am now ready to receive entries"
A burly,- red-faced rancher slouched
out of the crowd, and, stepping up to
the sheriff, said something to him.
First entry-Tim Whitsett!" shout
ed the sheriff. The crowd cheered
family. Whitsett was a bully, and
had few friends.
There was use. Then there