Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-05-24
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
THE RIVALS.
Ho0 Their Ri0afry Ended In an
fnfsrropfcd FLebk.
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! tCo3yright. 1909. by American Press Asso-
clation.l
The coach swung down an incline,
the brake scraping noisily. As we
reached the hollow one OF the passen-
gers, boy of sixteen, put down
window. letting in lot OF foggy night
air There were coughings and NUT
tcrings, and 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, doctorr'
\ man OF professional appearance
| started and looked uneasy.
You doctOr?' asked the man at
| the door.
| Il am Il 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 alight-
| ed
"All right. Drive on. Doctor. you
| cit on 10 that critter and come along"
| The doctor made n 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
a crossroad.
"W-w-hat are you going to do with
mcT asked the medical man.
ooh, don't be skeered. You're not
goin TO be hurt. Are your tools in the
bagF"
81 have some instruments there"
"Wcll, you're to be ready at fight
| TO patch UP one or both OF two men
that IS, If they're not killed before the
fracas is ended. Y see, Tom Biglow
md 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 flourishes
of an old fashioned duel. South Care
lima jim, he arranged II all for 'em
and says they must hev n surgeon"
But hasn't the girl got anything to
say about it?'
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, ana this one she come out with
her folks only week ago lookin' as
purity as leetle red wagon. Tom
ana Abe both seen her to onct. and
both said they was goin' for her. But
it wouldn't be far for either Of 'em TO
go In ahead of the other, so they made
t up 10 fight for her. Tomorrow
mornin' they're to walk one I'D and
Cother down the road, and when they
get within shOotln' distance they're to
begin firm. South Carolina Jim
wanted EN- to stand still and fire
when he dropped his hat, but they
SAID there mought be chance of one
on EN- bein' charged with shootln' be-
lore the signal, and they preferred to
10 the job without any sich tomfool
restrictions. But they let Jim hev his
way about the surgeon. We KEEP
Johnny Croker on the stage every dav
Tor week to find out lie there was n
doctor aboard, and If there was John
ny was to let down the winder when
he come to the holler."
And how far" asked the doctor
are you going to take me out of nv
way on this stupid businessTr
"1ere we are" was the renlv md
Ihey pulled up at cabin beside the
toau. n man appeared at the door,
lighted only by a 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 III
start from we're at the same time"
Inc messenger went on. and the
others entered the hut. The Owner
drew a quart bottle from beneath his
coat ara passed it to the doctor but
the doctor declined
Not drink this chilly n,0rnin'r~ ex-
iaiihed his entertainer. why. what's
soin to stiddy your hand when you're
cuttln' out bullet or tryln to stop n
flow Of bloodW
That's just what would unsteady
NE replied the doctor
mis- statement was received with n
stare OF wonder, and the conversation
turned upon other topics Tom Biglow
spoke Of his future with as much con.
iidence as If he were not going within
an hour to be one Of two targets for n
dead shot. When that hour had passed
ana the dawn had developed into
broad daylight, leaving Biglow. the
two others mounted and cantered
Gown the road for n mile, when the
doctors pilot stopped.
They're 20 begin FIRM when they're
on that and that crest" pointing in op-
Rosite directions. You're to stay we're
where vi be about even between 'em
both"
After awhile they saw FIRST one fig.
ure standing On crest and soon after
anotLc- on the opposite crest. Both
advanced "a when 49, ftnr, ,ht thov