Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-07-28
WHENMEEN GAME
81 ApELALpE RuTn hILl

business goin' on there. but it's NOT
what it used to be. I'VE seen ana
heard OF q number Of 'em, but none in
my remembrance for reel fishtin' s,ch
a. men 6ght who're goin' to fight az
all, equals that between Mcclure and
Riley away back In the ffties.
The fust OF 1t all was dispute over
cards, 1t didnL amount to much. ex.
eept 1t made bad blood between the
two men. Afterward they met ON :
ranch, and Riley accused Mcclure az
purposely brandin stock as didn't he.
long to him. Mcclure tried to kin him
then and there, but was interfered
with by Riley's friends. Soon after
that some one, KNOWN that the two
men were bound to have 1t out. sug.
gested to MeGulre that they 90 of
alone for the fight. Mcclure agreed
and sent word to Riley that he'd meet
him the next mornin' at sunup on the
trail between Beeswax and Bully
creek and they would then and there
settle whether or no he had branded
stock thas wasn't his'n. Riley agreed.
There wasn't no seconds, no surgeons
nor any Of the claptrap that men have
in toy duels. They was just goin' ont
to fight
"Well, the next mornin', when it was
still dark, MCGUIRE mounted his horse
and rode of toward the trail. There
had been nothin' said about weapons.
each man bein' left to take what he
thought he could do the most damage
with. Mcclure carried two six shoot
ers and knife. AS he rode along the
stars was a-dyin' out and there was
cOnsid' able light where the sun was
dttin' ready to come up. He looked
toward the few little shanties that
was Beeswax and saw somepin black
comm from that direction. 1t was
Riley, and he was armed Just about as
Mcguire was. They was mile apart.
mot wnntin' to bring on the fight
too near Beeswax, Mcguire waited
awhile, then moved on slow. When
Riley got into range Mcclure suddenly
ducked under his horses neck and
fred, His bullet didn't do any dam
age at all. Riley he ducked Indian
fashion, too, and fred. Both ON 'em
was ridin' around in a circle lookin'
for chance to plug the other. Finally
Rneys horse went down, hit by one
Of McGuire's bullets. Riley, KNOWN
this would give his enemy an advan-
tage, shot McGuire's horse. and each
made breastwork Of his animal.
Riley got the first plug, Mcclure
cuttin' scratch around the side OF
his head that filed his shootin' eye
with blood. He put his handkerchief
under his hat to ketch it and kept on
aghtin'.
Before the dozen shots each Of 'em
started with was exhausted both of
EN- had three or four wounds. Mel
Their Of 'em dared go out from behind
bis horse till then, but when the last
shots had been fred they started for
each other with knives. Both on 'em
staggered as they eyed each other.
watchin' for chance to git IN a blow.
But they was both about equally tuck
cred out, and neither on 'em had an
advantage, and neither on 'em could
git In stroke to kill.
three huts that made up the town o.
Beeswax, bein' wakened by the shots,
come out to see the show. l was one
On 'em. Mcclure and Riley was hack
In at each other, both staggerin' from
loss O. blood, havin' more of it outside
than inside and just enough in their
bltnkers to keep 'em from SEEM where
70 strike. 1t was a beautiful sight,
ten you, these two game men settlin'
their dispute in true manly fashion,
without seconds or surgeons.
"Rimeby they got so weak and so
blind that their blows was nothin' that
q four-year-old boy couldn't dodge;
then they stopped altogether. We
picked 'em up and carried 'em to the
town. There wasn't but one room that
could be spared, and we put 'em on
hunks side by side Each on 'em had
from ten to fifteen wounds, and they
was pretty well played out, but we
watched 'em for awhile, thinkin' II
tney got strong enough they'd go at
each other ag'in. You see. we didn't
want 'em to die on our hands. we to
send for burial things and nothln' to
pay for 'em.
We did git a doctor for 'em, and
ne looked out for 'em both. He said
% thought Riley would die. though he
couldn't be sure about either on 'em.
II was some time before either knew
enough to understand what was goin'
On and longer before they could say
anything. We was speculatin' whether
when they got up they'd call the fight
on, start In for a new one. or what,
when one mornin' when the sun was
shinin' In on 'em peaceful Riley he
reached out his hand. took hold O. Nc
Guire's and says he. he says:
Reckon you didn't brand no stock
tnAt didn't belong to you
We was surprised to see Mcclure
0ke his hand. and be says, says he.
1ou're game anyway
1T was two months before they got
" and another before they could git
away. When they did they rode on