Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-16
CHAPTER III.
No GentIeman's Game,

Chagrined by Cox's success in re
trieving the twenty-dollar gold piece
from it's wax setting between the
bulls horns at the Talama fiesta, the
Mexicans were furious, for well they
knew none of them would have daret
to attempt the feat, much less beer
able to perform it.
Indeed, no more was the bull down
and Cox turned to join Peach ant
me, than here, racing across the rims
toward him came hundred or more
Mexicans cursing, yelling the only
complaint and demand they coulc
think of-that, having killed the bull
he must return them the coin.
But before they reached him Peact
and I we're by his side, with our guns
drawn, where we were quickly joined
by fifteen or twenty Americans keer
to see fair play. Then the ring filled
with the entire male populace, II
seemed, all clamoring fer the coin OF
our lives, many demanding both.
Meantime, Cox stood smiling, silent
apparently delighted with the prospect
of real matanza, wholesale killing
But Peach himself must have felt Sc
rious doubts of the result: for instead
of counting trouble, as was his usual
custom, he told the mob, in fluent
Spanish. that our mate had accepted
their foul challenge, had fairly won a
prize none of them would have dared
make try for, and that at the first
hostile move we would turn that pen
into a shambles.
Strange it was. heavily outnum
bered rs they had us, but right there
that mob "let co. melted. drifted, un'
til our little group and the stiffening
carcass of the bull were the only ten
ants of the pen.
one old grizzled miner turned to Cox
and remarked: "Pardner, have
drawn card at death hugs with Co
manches and Apaches. and, once, go'
my gun broke and had to use my
bowie knife to carve my life loose
from grizzly that wanted 1t. I'm
still good for flfty-mile tramp, on a
pinch; but may l be cross-ctt and
stopped out till I'm plumb holler If
believe these old legs of mine would
have carried me over your sixty-foot
march on that red hellion. They'd
just natudally buckled and let me
down, ker-plurk"
It was sentiment which am sure
would have had many cordial sub
scribers if all who heard it had not
still been half breathless of the recent
happenings.
When, presently, both the gringo
and greaser camps had become
Gained down bit, riding and roping
contests were resumed which soon
proved too much for Peach. In the
preceding autumn he had Won first
prize at the Sacramento fair, both as
broncho buster and with the RATA, and
it would not have been Peach If he
could have sat inactive through such
an opportunity to humiliate the Next.
cans with a display of his superior
skill
Getting his horse. and, unlimited
entering the ring. he roped and tied
wild steer in eighteen seconds less
time than any othe competitor.
Where others. mounted and at top
speed, bent from their saddles and
picked up from the ground ropes and
handkerchiefs, he with equal certain,
ty picked up small coins: dropped
along the off side of his horse until
one hand and foot were in sight
from the nigh side, meantime shoot
ing beneath the horses neck like a
Comanche.
At all this the Mexicans glowered
jealousy. and nothing but our good
luck enabled me to get my mates
away from the ring, late in the after.
noon, with clean guns.
They told me that through 1t all
was white as sheet, and dare say
it was true, for know I was near sick
of fright Indeed, I took good care
not to return to the nights gambling
and carousing in the plaza, and for a
wonder succeeded in persuading
Peach and Cox to stay in camp with
me.
They said I had done fine" in the
jump into the bull ring to meet the
mob. but cursed me for a coward for
wanting to stay away from the plaza.
But for me it was easier to stand their
ieers than to take on a new bunch OF
trouble.
George Peach was in every sense a
hard man. one of the most desperate
I have ever known He had an actu'
al passion for fighting. Powerfully
built, always in prime condition on
account of his daily grueling work
with wild brcncOs. wonderful quick
and handy with his fists. he was new
er cnce beaten in the eight or ten
prize fights he engaged in during the
time I was with him.
That is saving much for him. as in
those days the mining camps held as
able a lot Of ring fighters as could be
picked the world over. The hard
types that made up the majority OF
the adventurers who had come there
in search of fortune loved the sport
We're generous in backing it and reck'
less gamblers on the result. Such
conditions naturally served to attract
fstic stars from even the remote an
tipodes.
While undoubtedly fond of both Of
us in his way, and kindly to Cox and