The Bottineau courant., 1912-09-27
An OLD MANS
VENGEANCE
Murderer's Career Brought
to a Fitting Close.

"I've heard, sub, that there has been
Z fight in this place, and one Of the
contestants took an unfair advantage
Of The other"
eyer referrin' to the set-to in the
Empire saloon last night. Vas; the
Texas man shot t'other feller when he
was lookin' down on the floor for a
half dollar he'd dropped"
''Do you know the Texas mans
name, subj"
mo, sir; he hain't been here long.
Why are you consarned about him?''
'I've been lookin' TO- a man, sub, and
when heard that this Texas man had
done mean, murderous trick won
dered If he weren't the man I'm lookin'
for. Has he been arrested|
''Well, no. There amt nobody here
as likes to tackle him."
BY this time a number Of citizens
had gathered round the man who was
looking for some one. He was white
headed old man, but very erect and
with plenty Of vigor, at least in his
eye. He was very well dressed and
had the air of a gentleman.
'There he is now," said one of the
bystanders as man emerged from
saloon and walked across the street.
The stranger started, the blood rush.
ing into his face, then rushing back
again. His hand shook. Indeed, he
trembled all over. Then he mastered
himself and said coolly:
Gentlemen, that's the man I'm look
in TO-. I request yo' purmission to
change the co'se Of the law somewhat
I would like to fight the accused"
There was look of surprise on the
faces Of those standing by.
"Oh, he'd eat you up," said one Of
them. Hes young and spry and mean
enough to rob dead niger"
II know I'm not young, sub. How
could. be when served under Gener-
al Lee in Virginia? Trust me, sub;
rve just enough grit left in me to
tackle that man-not another man; that
particular man,
The stranger turned and walked to-
ward the object Of his search. The
SAOWu VSAS WILL AAAAs l. AC ACAoc AAoA
saw them coming and gave them de-
fant glance. Suddenly he recognized
the stranger and paled.
'I've found yo' at last, Jim," said the
old man, "but I've had long hunt"
Then, turning to the crowd, he added:
'This man and l desiah yo' purmission
to settle private mattah. Will any
gentleman present make the arrange
ments p
A representative man was urged for
ward and at once began to provide for
meeting. The principals were to
step back into the clearing" off the
street; stand thirty PAGES apart and at
| a signal advance, firing till their re-
volvers were emptied. The crowd SUBJ
| mitted under protest, for they did not
doubt that the Texas man would COM
NIT another murder.
Slowly as at q burial, for no one
doubted that one at least of the ene-
mics would die, the party passed be-
tween two houses and proceeded over
| cracking twigs through a wood to the
| clearing. The Texas man and the
stranger walked little in advance,
the former peering straight before him,
| as if to escape the fixed glance Of the
veteran, who kept his head turned to-
| ward his enemy, never for moment
relaxing his gaze. Once only did the
murderer turn to meet that relentless
| glance, and then he shuddered as if
the very marrow in his bones had been
frozen. One of the followers who held
the advance and saw the expression
of the old mans eyes dropped back
| and whispered to another: 'Thet amt
no live man. He's come back from the
| dead to avenge some wrong"
In the center of the cleared space
the party stopped. The manager Of the
affair examined the principals to make
sure they had no concealed weapons,
relieving the stranger Of two revolvers
and knife. and then placed them in
position, handing each revolver. The
master Of ceremonies stood with pis-
| tol in his hand waiting for the crowd
to get back out of the way. Now that
the Texas man was face to face with
his opponent he seemed to have passed
under a spell. He was covering un-
der the others merciless glance, vainly
endeavoring to turn his own aside.
Then the veteran, as If to give the man
chance to recover his equanimity,
turned to the manager and said:
"We ar waitin' fo' yo', suh."
The manager with deliberation rails
ed his weapon to give the signal, the
veteran still looking at him, then just
before the signal turned again to his
enemy. The Texas man had apparent
" recovered from the spell and when
| the signal shot rang out. raised his
weapon with the rapidity Of lightning
and sent a bullet tearing his opponents
coat at the side Of the left breast and
passing between the breast and the
arm Before he could fire again the
veteran had emptied a chamber of his
revolver The Texas man stretched
himself upward on his toes there was
q red hole in the very center Of his
forehead and fell. His enemy stepped
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