The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-08-23
THE COWBOY.
(OrteinA.l

supposed to b m assumed name, for
hs was educated and not likely to use
his own while . cowboy. 1t was no,
known that he was q college bred man
and an athlete. for he never told them
10. He was not q 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 go home; he
went west and took the Arst Job offered
punching cows.
he was sitting In the Alhambra ga
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 q quarters worth Of
'.your most" meaning the most the
barkeeper would give for that sum
that II, the poorest. She pushed
against Trapaagan. who. looking down
and seeing a greaser girl, batted her
with the palm Of his hand and sent her
sprawling on the door.
Arnold was 4 fool to give way Is
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. Traphagan was quick to
draw, even though on the floor. but
one Of the party caught his arm, and
the bullet went through the roof.
Fists or nothing!" cried the crowd,
and Traphagan, accepting the issue.
went at his adversary for n boxing
match. He was done up In two rounds.
He acknowledged his defeat and set up
a round of drinks for the crowd, In
GLIDING 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 a distance with a rife. Pres
emily the latter came upon the body
a man with a hole in Its skull.
Evidently there had been a murder.
looked at It and was
struck by an Idea. Dismountlng. he
took the murdered mans belongings, a
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
hat he had seer q murder and Arnold
was the murderer. They all went out,
awakened the sleeper, searched him at
suggestion and found the
The dead man was identified, and
The articles found ON Arnold were
to have belonged to him. This,
With Traphagan's evidence that he
lad e the murder, was sufficient,
n the ~undeveloped state Of justice
n that region, to satisfy the untutor-
ID self constituted court. but those
who had seer the fracas between
he prisoner and his accuser gave an
account Of It and. showing a motive,
.hrew discredit on Traphagan's testi-
nony. The Judge was puzzled.
II dislikes muchly," no said, when
I'VE hearn one side Of a cas- to hear
he other. It allus mixes me up"
While he a celebrating what to
10, who should appear but the little
sreaser girl whom Arnold had cham
and said she had seen the muir
Ter.
"Who done 1T" asked the Judge.
She pointed to Traphagan.
The Judge. II he had been puzzled
,efore, was now thrown into absolute
'AThis case Ia q bad un,"
10 remarked. land ! see no way outsn
/ but to hang 'em both"
"Why not let us two who have been
accused Of tho murder fight It outY'
Iaid Arnold.
That's a good idea, Judge" one Of
he mon who had seen the fracas BE-
tween the two and longed to see an
,ther. "Let 'em decide 1t with Hsts."
make 1t gums" said Traphagan. "and
ri agree"
mo-" said the Judge renectively;
I've hearn the witnesses tell that the
who's 4 leetis Teller. topped
you, a big Teller. without a gun, and !
think It's for the eddication Of this
yere community to have him show us
how he done It. Ny decision is that
The weapons be fists and the fight
comes OF at onct, the man that gets
licked to be hanged"
This satisfied all parties except Trap
who saw the tables turned
Iquarely against him. Nevertheless he
was obliged to submit. A ring Of on
COOKERS was formed, and the battle be-
ran.
Arnold saw the advantage Of pleas
ng the court and played with his an.
agonist. Now and again be permitted
linn to gain m advantage, but never to
rot In q blow, but after every advan.
age he gave his accuser punishment
not enough to knock him out, but to
Ihow his own skill. 1t was interesting
70 men who knew no weapon save
and ball to see the big man
Dyed with by his smaller antagonist. |
when Arnold saw that Trap.
,agan was likely to fail to come up to
he scratch be landed a blow that sent
him half a dozen yards and down.
This ended the battle.
Arnold. now that be was safe, was
unwilling to zee bis enemy branded for
/ crime OF which there was such slight
,soof that be was guilty. He took the
girl aside and asked her II she
lad really seen Traphagan commit the
murder.