The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-02
! OAAAAAAAAAAAAAkKAAAAAAAAAS
THE RIVALS. :
Hoty Their RfOafrJ, Ended IN an
Inrsrrupfsd FisbL
copyright 1903 by American Press AssO.

lCOpyrlght, lsOb by American Press Akso-
ciaton.l
The coach swung down an incline,
the brake scraping nolsily. 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 coughlngs 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.
"IIey, doctorp'
A man Of professional appearance
started and looked uneasy .
r"You a doctorT7 asked the man at
the door.
81 am surgeon"
IAN the better You're wanted Git
out"
II 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
git on to that crltter 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
a crossroad.
"W-w-hat are you going to do with
me?' asked the medical man.
"Oh, don't be skeered You're not
goin' to be hurt. Are your tools in the
bagT
81 have some instruments there"
"Well, you're to be ready at n fight
to patch mp one or both Of two men
that is, If 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 hey the
fight conducted with all the flourlshes
of an old fashioned duel South Caro-
lima Jim, he arranged II all for 'em
and says they must hev a surgeon"
"But hasn't the girl got anything to
say about itT'
"The gal! Oh, she don't know that
| either Of 'em want her. They tum-
blcd To her only last week v see, out
ycrc IN ArizOny there hain't many wo-
men, and this one she come out with
her folks only week ago lookln' as
purity as Il leetle red wagon. Tom
and Abe both seen her to onct, and
both said they was gOin' for her. But
IL wouldn't be far for either of 'em TO
so I'm ahead Of the other, so they made
1t up to fight for her. Tomorrow
mornin' they're to walk, one up and
tother down the road, and when they
| get within shootln' distance they're ia
begin frin'. South Carolina Jim
wanted 'em to stand still and fire
when he dropped his hat, but they
said there mOught be chance of one
on 'em bein' charged with shootin' be
fore the signal, and they preferred tC
do the job without any slch tomfoo
restrictions. But they let Jim hev his
way about the surgeon. We KEEP
Johnny Croker on the stnge every day
for Il week TO find out IL there was a
doctor aboard, and If there was John,
ny was to let down the wlnder when
lie come 10 the hOller"
"And how far" asked the doctor
ARE you going 10 take me out Of my
way on this stupid business?"
"fere we are" was the reply. and
they pulled up at n cabin beside the
road. A man appeared at the door
lighted only by candle within.
I'VE ketched him." said one Of the
men on horseback. Then to his fellow
horseman he said: "You ride over anG
tell Abe. There's the dawn comm
now. Tell him soons he sees the first
speck OF the sun to start Tom Il
start from yere at the same time"
The messenger went on, and the
others entered the hut The owner
drew quart bottle from beneath his
coat and passed It to the doctor, bu
the doctor declined
"Not drink this chilly mornln'" ex
claimed his entertainer. "Why, what.
goin to stiddy your hand when your,
cuttin' out a bullet or tryin' to stop {
flow of bloodT
"Thats just what would unsteady
me" replied the doctor.
This statement was received with
stare of wonder, and the conversation
turned upon other topics. Tom Biglov
spoke Of his future with as much con
fdence as If he were not going within
an hour TO be one Of two targets for
dead shot. When that hour had passed
and the dawn had developed Int,
broad daylight, leaving Blglow, tn
two others mounted and canteret
down the road for mile, when thu
doctors pilot stopped.
They're to begin frin' when theyr
on that and that crest" pointing I'm op
posite directions You're to stay yere
where y'l be about even between zen
both"
After awhile they saw first one fig
ure standing on crest and soon afte
another on the opposite crest, Bot
advanced and when they thought the!
We're within range fred couple o
shots each, but they were too far apar
for execution. At that moment a maj
and a woman came riding furlousl.