The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-12-21
DUEL OF KNIFE
VS.. PISTOL

Inc conversation had turned upon
dueling. and several in the group
gathered In the cafe had related ex.
periences which directly or indirectly
had concerned persons OF their nc.
qualntance. when Colonel" Pitzer
Martin OF Texas entered into the sub
ject.
Il s'pose you all think a man with
a knife would have a mighty small
chance against man with gun
and a dead shot at that-in regular
paced-off'go-at-thesignal encounter.
don't you?"
There was a unanimous chorus Of
assent and the Colonel" shook his
gray head in a knowing sort OF way
and smiled family.
Il thought so. too. Until one day
few years back, down a The PecQs
valley section. where | s2- one Of
the oldest duels | reckon was ever
fought. II was between Bob Ander.
son and a Mexican known only 10 us
as Savior We never bothered much
with the last names OF greasers in
those cow-punching days. Bob and
Savior never got along any too well
some trouble over a Mexican girl.
| believe-but they never came TO an
open rupture, partly, believe. because
Bob always packed a gun. What's
more, he knew how to use that same
gun.
Savior had no use for a gun. HIS
weapon was long.bladed knife with
a heavy handle. II was a homemade
affair and Savior set a heap by IL, and
how Savior could juggle that knife!
He handled 1t Mexican fashion, OF
course. the hilt down almost to his
finger tips. the blade passing over his
wrist. The first and little fingers
holding the weapon steady. Savior
could throw the knife with a peculiar
jerk of the forearm and send the
point true to the mark every time.
I'VE were rounding up one day near
Toyah when the quarrel between the
pair broke out with fresh violence.
It ended with Bob knocking Savior
down, then stepping back and draw.
ing his gun, ready for the attack he
expected: but Savior made no such
move. He got up, his lips white and
his black eyes blazing. Well, there
was some lively exchange of talk
for few minutes, Savior calling Bob
a coward for striking an "unarmed"
man, and Bob offering to settle with
fists II Savior would drop his knife,
agreeing. in turn, to discard his gun
But Savior was physically no match
for Bob, and he knew 1t. You fight
me?' he asked eagerly. You fight
me--my knife against your gun? You
give me chance to get even? You
stand off and shoot throw knife
yes, you one brave man. You do 1t,
know and Savior shook with min.
gled rage and eagerness to meet the
man he hated, on what seemed to be
equal grounds.
1T didn't seem quite fair for the
greaser-leastways as we figured 1t:
but he was keen for fight and Bob
was fairly begging for a chance to do
up his enemy. The boss ofthe outfit,
who had kept from mixing up in the
matter now took hand In the game.
He said it was only question Of time
before one or the other man would
be killed and the sooner it was over
the better.
Savior dictated the terms of the
duel. We didn't care much what he
asked for because we figured it was a
dead open and shut case that he would
have a bullet in him before he had
time to throw his knife. Savior stipu-
lated that he and Bob were to stand
side by side; that Bob should step
forward ter PAGES, gun in hand, but
held muzzle down, at arms length.
At the end of the ten PAGES he was
to turn and fire, the instant his foot,
marking the end of the tenth pace,
touched the ground.
CAS- Bob stepped out, Savior
crouched down, holding his knife in
position to throw. There could be no
mistake about the counting. Every
time Bob's foot hit the ground a