Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-01-12

WEE ne Was BRUSHED Will WHdb NJ
had doubtless intended for warning
that II took Daisy Nolan away from
him / would have to face sure death.
The witnesses urged me to 60 In and
have something. but ! declined. saying
that was anxious for q smoke and
would go upstairs for another pipe.
The truth Is wanted chance to 90
where could, unobserved. give way
to my feelings for few moments,
they having been controlled only BY
most desperate effort.
When was alone staggered to the
bed. fell on it and for few minutes
,trembled like leaf. But when ] b.
gan to recover started to get mad at
the same time. Men will light more
desperately for woman than for any
other cause, and 1t occurred 70 mo
that. Daisy being the bone Of conten-
tion, II she preferred me either Barker
Or must die. l spent some t1ms CON
sidering what to do, then went to the
ranch, intending to offer myself TO
Daisy. II she refused me would
leave the 6eld at once to I'll suitors.
r she accepted me would have It
out with Barker.
found Miss Daisy very much ex-
cited. She had heard Of Barker's
shooting escapade and had turned bit
terly against him. ! told her that l
wanted her and II she wanted me
was willing TO settle the matter be-
tween Barker and myself Her reply
was an could have asked for, but
she positively forbade my coming into
collision with my rival. told her
frankly that I believed be would kill
me II l married her and that the mat
ter had better be settled before the
wedding. Being woman. she wished
to get round the matter by subterfuge
and for the time being would consent
to nothing definite.
Daisy was very fond Of an old ranch
er called Jake Huchins. To her he
was "Uncle Jake" A day or two after
Barker's shooting as was riding over
the country on horseback Huchins
came up behind me and ambled along
side Of me.
Il hearn about the shootin' o. your
pipe onten ger mouth" be said. Lit
tie Daisy was telling me about It"
"Oh. It was Miss Nolan who told
you, was It
YES And, what's more, she asked
me to suggest some way O. settlin' the
matter without blood spillin'."
That's impossible" said I.
80 I thort at fust, but arter awhile
l thort Of a plan. Barker's mighty
proud o his shootin'. and he's pretty
much made up his mind that he's lost
Daisy. l reckon he'd agree to settle
the matter by trial o skill between
him and you. He'd consider 1t his
only chance"
'I'm NO shot. Such contest would
| give Miss Daisy to him. and she
doesn't want him."
mot SO fast. You don't need to be
much O. shot. Could you hit hens
| egg at twenty feet"
II might In two or three Shots"
"Well, l give Daisy my plan, and
| she's decided to try 1t. Here's note
for you, and here's note for Barker.
whichever hits hens egg with a
| forty-two the most outen Eve shots
she'll marry"
He handed me . note to that effect
from Daisy and showed me another
he was commissioned to deliver to
Barker.
do you consent?' he added. draw
| ing rein.
EYES," I said; II consent to anything
Daisy desires"
! Without waiting for more he turned
about and rode back in the direction
from whence he came.
The next day Uncle Jake informed
me that Barker had gladly agreed to
| the terms.
On the appointed day l made my
! appearance at the barn, wondering
what was to be the upshot of this sin
| gular contest. l found an egg sus-
| pended over basket by fine thread.
| I won the toss and with it the right to
| fire Eve consecutive shots at the egg.
| I missed the first and the fourth. but
put hole in the egg on the second,
third and the fifth. For my life could
not see why l had not lost. It would
| be nothing for Barker to hit the egg
every time.
A new egg was attached to the
thread for him to shoot at, and, whip
ping out his revolver. he fred with ap-
parent carelessness. He was surprised
to see the egg oscillate violently, but
the shell was not broken. The next
time he fred he took careful aim, but
with no better success. He was thun-
derstruck. Since l had hit the egg
three times he could now only tie me.
"You must hit 1t In the center" said
Uncle Jake. III you don't you'll
glance"
! Barker aimed long and carefully at
the center and sent the egg bobbing,
but still the shell was unbroken.
| Flinging his revolver on the barn
| floor, he strobe away.
kuow that qrkpr had heQn frickp6