Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-09
DAILY STORY
THE COW BOY.
IOriginal.l


supposed TO be an assumed name, for |
he was educated and not likely to use |
his own while a cowboy. 1t was not |
known that he was college bred man |
and an athlete, for he never told them |
SO. He was not a graduate; he had |
taken SO much interest in foils and
boxing gloves that he had no time for
study. When ne was sent away from
the university he didn't go home; he
went west and took the first job offered
punching cows.
He was sitting in the Alhambra sa
loon with a glass of whisky before
him. \ party of men were at the bar,
among them Traphagan, the worst man
in the territory. A little Mexican girl
came in with an empty beer bottle
and asked for a quarters worth OF
your most" meaning the most the
barkeeper would give for that sum
that Is, the poorest. She pushed
against Traphagan, who, looking down
and seeing greaser girl. batted her
sprawling on the floor.
Arnold was fool to give way to
impulse with a man like Traphagan.
He should have either shot him or let
him alone. He gave him a blow under
the jaw and sent him after the little
greaSer. TraphaCan was quick to
draw. even though on the floor, but
one of the party caught his arm. and
the bullet went through the roof
1 tI,,,
and Traphagan. accepting the issue.
went at his adversary for boxing
match. He was done up in two rounds
He acknowledged his defeat and set NJ
q round of drinks for the crowd, i'll
Guiding Arnold. insisting that the vic
tor should drink. Arnold accepted
keeping his eye on the man while
drinking.
One day later on Arnold was riding
after cattle. Traphagan was following
him at distance with n rifle Pres
emily the latter came upon the body
of Il man with 4 hole in its skull.
Evidently there had been Il murder.
Traphagan looked at it and wa;
struck by an idea. Dismounting. he
took the murdered mans belongings, Il
few small articles. then rode on.
Some hours later he found Arnold
snoozing on the veranda of a tavern
and slipped the dead mans property
into his pockets. Then he went in to
the bar and told those gathered there
| that he had seen a murder and Arnold
was the murderer. They all went out,
!, awakened the sleeper. searched him a.
Traphagan's suggestion and found the
| articles.
The dead man was identified. and
the articles found on Arnold were
proved to have belonged TO him. This.
with Traphagan's evidence that he
| had seen the murder was sufficient.
in the undeveloped state Of justice
in that region. TO satisfy the untutor
! ed self constituted court. but those
who had seen the fracaS betwecI
the prisoner and his accuspr gave an
| account of il and. showing Il motive.
threw discredit on Traphagan's teSti-
mOny- The judge was puzzled.
Il dislkes muchly." he said, when
I've hearn one side of case to hear
the other. 1t allus mixes me up
While he was celebrating what t.
do, who should appear but the little
greaser girl whom Arnold had cham
pioned and said she had seen the muir
der
"Who done it," asked the judge.
She pointed to Traphagan.
The Judge if he had been puzzled.
before. was now thrown into absolute
| 1
he remarked, land see no way outer.
it but to hang 'em both
"Why not let us two who have been
accused of the murder fight ii OUT
said Arnold.
That's good idea judge" one o,
the men who had seen the fracas De
tween the two and longed to see an
other. Let EN- decide it with fists
Make it guns" said Traphagan. "and
I'll agree"
NO" said the judge refiectively
; I've hearn the witnesses tell that the
cowboy, who's a leetle Teller, toppe
you. big Teller, without gun. and .
think its for the dedication of thi,
yere community to have him show IL
how he done it. My decision is thai
the weapons be fists and the fight
' comes off at onct, the man that get.
licked to be hanged
. This satisfied all parties except Trap
| hagan. who saw the tables turned
\ squarely against him. Nevertheless n,
: was obliged to submit. \ ring of on
r lockers was formed, and the battle be
gan.
Arnold saw the advantage of pleas
V ing the court and played with his an
= tagonist Now and again he permitte,
o him to gain an advantage, but never L
get in blow, but after every advan
: tage he gave his accuser punishment
not enough to knock him out, but t
show his own skill. 1t was interesting
to men who knew no weapon saw
- powder and ball to see the big ma
tOyed with by his smaller antagonist