Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-03-17
4 Observation-Disclosures
THE RIVALS.
Hosv Thar RfOaleD Faded In "a
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gers, a boy Of sixteen, put down q
window, letting in lot Of foggy night
air. There were coughinga and NUT
terings, and a man endeavored to raise
the window, but the boy hung on.
Then the coach stopped suddenly, the
door was thrown open and a voice
said:
Hey, doctorF'
A man Of professional appearance
started and looked uneasy.
you a doctorT asked the man at
the door.
II am q surgeon"
"All the better You're wanted. Git
out"
1t was not yet clear but that the
coach had been stopped by road
agents, and the surgeon quickly allght-
ed.
"All right. Drive on. Doctor, you
git on to that critter and come along"
The doctor made a feeble protest,
which was not listened to, mounted
the horse referred to and, with a man
riding on either side, one Of whom
carried the doctors bag, proceeded by
crossroad.
"W-w-hat are you going to do with
meT asked the medical man.
"Oh, don't be skeered You're not
goin' to be hurt. Are your tools in the
bag?"
II have some instruments there"
well, you're to be ready at a fight
to patch up one or both of two men
that is, II they're not killed before the
fracas Is ended. Y see, Tom Biglow
and Abe HuchIns, they got stuck on
the same gal, and there don't appear
no way to settle the matter except for
one Of 'em to kill the other They
bein' good friends and neither wantin'
an advantage, they want to hev the
fight conducted with all the hourishes
of an old fashioned duel. South Caro-
lima Jim, he arranged 1t all for 'em
and says they must hev a surgeon"
but hasn't the girl got anything to
say about itY'
1.-THE gal! oh, she don't know that
either Of 'em want her. They tum-
bled to her only last week. Y see, out
we're In Arizony there haIn't many wo-
men, and this one she come out with
her folks only week ago lookin' as
purity as a leetle red wagon. Tom
and Abe both seen her to onet. and
both said they was goln' for her. But
It wouldn't be far for either of 'em to
go In ahead Of the other, so they made
It up to fight for her. Tomorrow
mornin' they're to walk, one up and
tother down the road, and when they
get within shootin' distance they're to
begin firin'. South Carolina Jim
wanted 'em to stand still and fire
when he dropped his hat, but they
said there mought be a chance OF one
on 'em bein' charged with shootin' be-
fore the signal, and they preferred to
do the job without any slch tomfool
restrictions. But they let Jim hev his
way about the surgeon, We kep'
Johnny Croker on the stage every day
for a week to find out II there was A
doctor aboard, and II there was John
ny was to let down the wlnder when
he come to the holler."
"And how far" asked the doctor.
ARE you going to take me out Of my
way ON this stupid business?"
were we are" was the reply, and
they pulled up at cabin beside the
road. A man appeared at the door,
lighted only by candle within.
We ketched him." said one of the
men on horseback. Then to his fellow
horseman he said: you ride over and
tell Abe. There's the dawn comm
now. Tell him soon's he sees the first
speck OF the sun to start. Tom IL
start from we're at the same time"
The messenger went on, and the
others entered the hut. The owner
drew a quart bottle from beneath his
coat and passed II to the doctor, but
the doctor declined.
mot drink this chilly mornin'm ex-
claimed his entertainer. why, what's
goin' to stiddy your hand when you're
cuttln' out a bullet or tryln' to stop a
flow of bloodY'
That's just what would unsteady
me-" replied the doctor.
This statement was received with a
stare OF wonder, and the conversation
turned upon other topics. Tom Biglow
spoke Of his future with as much con-
tdence as II he were not going within
an hour to be one OF two targets for a
dead shot. When that hour had passed
and the dawn had developed into
broad daylight, leaving Biglow, the
two others mounted and cantered
down the road for a mile, when the
doctors pilot stopped.
They're to begin firin' when they're
on that and that crest" pointing In op-
posite directions. You're to stay we're.
where y'n be about even between 'em
| both"
After awhile they saw first one lig-
ure standing on a crest and soon after
another on the opposite crest Both
advanced and when they thought they
were within range fired a couple OF
shots each, but they were too far apart
for execution. At that moment a man
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