Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-08
The Argus Daily Short Story
A Shooting Match-By Aainsworth Rhodes
Copyrighted. Associated Literary Press

! same roof with Miss Daisy. / knew
she had a lover, but my attraction for
her did not then go so far as to intend
to come between them. 1 merely liked
the idea of being near her during my
stay.
But stayed a good while and it was
not very long before she and each
made a discovery. 1 discovered that
1 wanted her, and she discovered that
she didn't want Barker. Meanwhile l
found out something else-that he had
become frightfully jealous of me. and
If l took her away from him he would
probably kill me. At first he and
spoke to each other when we met Ell
Their on the ranch or elsewhere. Then
he only noticed me at the Nolan house.
1 thought it best after awhile to re-
move to the $50 called hotel, mile
from Nolans. If anything happened
between Barker and myself preferred
that it should not happen under No
lan's roof. So one day / removed my
luggage to my new quarters.
One morning was sitting on the
porch of the hotel smoking a brier-
wood pipe. Barker came out of the
barToom, where he had been drinking,
and took a seat about thirty feet from
me. 1 didn't know he was there till,
turning my head, I saw him out of the
corner of my eye sighting his revolver
at me.
Naturally 1 started.
Hold on there" said Barker. "Your
pipe makes a fine target. We don't al
low people to smoke such expensive
pipes out here!'
The words were scarcely out of his
mouth when 1 felt a faint tick on the
bowl OF the pipe, heard the crack of
gun and knew that bullet had passed
through the pipe.
''Wait up.' he growled as / was
about to rise. Your pipe won't draw
with hole in it, but it's still mighty
good target"
1 snatched look at him. He was
evidently under the influence of liquor.
/ felt sure that if didn't let him shoot
at my pipe he would shoot at me and
nerved myself to stand another shot
Indeed, this was all l could do, for l
was unarmed. But a cold chill ran
down my back and a cold sweat stood
out all over me. Nevertheless put
up a pretty good front. l sat with
comparative compOsure, occasionally
letting a faint cloud of tobacco smoke
escape from between my lips, but not
daring to move a hairbreadth for fear
of interfering with the mans aim.
Several persons from inside the hotel, !
having heard a shot. came out to dis
cover who had been killed. They ar
rived just in time to see the second .
shot and the top of the bowl of my
pipe cut off. They at once took in the /
situation, and, seeing me coolly puff /
ing, not knowing my internal condi- |
ton, they cried out. Good pluck, stran- |
ger" STEADY nerve," HE amt no /
tenderfootw and such like compli- /
ments.
Presently third shot shattered what /
was left of the bowl of my pipe, and I
only the stem remained in my mouth.
Whether my nerve made Barker half 4
ashamed of himself or that he was |
headed or by the admiration of the I
others 1 don't know. but he desisted 4
from further shooting. / fancy, how !
ever, he was satisfied with what he .
had doubtless intended for warning l
that If l took Daisy Nolan away from /
him / would have to face sure death.
have something. but / declined, saying
that l was anxious for a smoke and
would go upstairs for another pipe
The truth is | wanted a chance to go
where / could, unobserved. give way
to my feelings for a few moments,
they having been controlled only by
a most desperate effort
When / was alone l staggered to the
bed, fell on it and for few minutes
trembled like leaf. But when l be-
gan to recover l started to get mad at
the same time. Men will fight more
desperately for woman than for any
other cause, and ii occurred TO me
that. Daisy being the bone of conten-
ton, If she preferred me either Barker
or / must die. l spent some time con-
what to do. then went to the
ranch. intending to offer myself to
Daisy. If she refused me would
leave the field ut once TO ali suitors.
II she accepted me l would have it
out with Barker. i