Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-05-25
THE COWBOY.
IoriginaLI

IL ne was educated and not likely to use
his own while cowboy. It was not
known that he was college bred man
and an athlete, for he never told them
30. he was not graduate; he had
taken so much interest In foils and
boxing gloves that he had no time for
study. When he was sent away from
the university he didn't so 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. A 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 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
aid seeing a greaser girl, batted her
with the palm of his hand and sent her
sprawling on the floor.
Arnold was a fool to give way to
Impulse with a man like Traphagan.
Hn should have either shot him or let
bin alone. He gave him a blow under
the jaw and sent him after the little
greaser. Traphagan was quick to
draw, even though on the floor, but
che of the party caught his arm, and
the bullet went through the roof.
"Fists or nothing" cried the crowd
end Traphagan, accepting the issue,
went at his adversary for a boxing
match. He was done up in two rounds
he acknowledged his defeat and SCI up
O round Of drinks for the crowd. In.
| Guiding Arnold, insisting that the vic
tpr 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 rife. Pres
eftly the latter came upon the body
of q man with q hole in Its skull.
Evidently there had been a murder.
Traphagan looked at 1t and was
struck by an idea. Dismounting, he
took the murdered mans belongings, a
few small articles, then rode on.
| Some hours later he found Arnold
smoothing 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 murder and Arnold
was the murderer. They all went out,
awakened the sleeper, searched him at
Trapaagan's suggestion and found the
articles.
The dead man was identified and
the srticles 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 between
the prisoner and his accuser gave an
account Of it and, showing a motive,
threw discredit on Traphagan's testi-
mony. The judge was puzzled.
Il dislikes muchly," he said, when
I've hearn one side Of case 10 hear
the other. 1t allus mixes me Up.'
While he was celebrating what to
do, WIN should appear but the little |
greaser girl whom Arnold had cham
pioned and said she had seen the MUIR
der.
who done tip asked the Judge.
She pointed to Traphagar
The Judge, IL he had been puzzled |
before, was now thrown into absolute |
confusion. This case Is q bad un,"
he remarked, land l see no way outen
it but to hang 'em both"
why not let US two who have been |
accused of the murder fight 1t outYf
said Arnold.
that's good idea, judge" one OF
the men who bad seen the fracas be-
tween tie two and longed to see an
other. let 'eD, decide it With fists"
Make 1t guns" said Traphagan, "and
I'lf agree"
Ne" said me judge refiectively;
I've hearn tina witnesses tell that the
cowboy, who's leetle Teller, topped
You, big teller, without gun, and
think it's for the eddication of this
we're community to have him show Us
how he done it. My decision is that
the weapons be fists and the fight
comes or at onct, the man that geh
licked to be hanged
This satisfied all parties except Trap
hagan, who saw the tables turned
sqnarely against him. Nevertheless he
was obliged to submit A ring of on
lockers was formed, and tho battle he
gan.
Arnold saw the advantage Of pleas
ing the court and played with his an
tagonist Now and again he permitted
him to gain an advantage. but never to
get In a blow, but after every advan-
tage he gave his accuser punishment
not enough to knock him out, but to
show his own skill. II was interesting
to men who knew no weapon save
powder and BAH to see the big man
toyed with by his smaller antagonist.
Finally when Arnold saw that Trap
hagan was likely to fail 10 come IN TO