The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-09-18
HIS
WEAPON
By OSCAR o

~AACu
his medical diploma at the College of
Physicians and Surgeons. concluded
that he would go to the wild and wool
~ west to practice. Since he was a
professional man he was not expected
to wear q wooden shirt and buckskin
trousers. Nevertheless his very gen.
tlemanlike suit Of eastern made clothes
and derby hat were sufficient to mark
him as a tenderfOot. The doctor, be-
ing well up in the advance discover
les Of his time. performed what seem
ed to the inhabitants of a rough region
some remarkable cures. For instance.
being called in to see a sick child, he
told it's parents it had %diphtheria. The
couple had lost one child from that
disease and at once gave up hope. But
the doctor injected an antitoxin under
the child's skin. and a membrane that
vas forming in its throat could BE-
seer to break away and disappear. The
child recovered. and from that time
Armsby's medical reputation spread
like wildtire over the whole territory
and his practice grew to a correspond,
ingly large size
There is generally some one in a
community meaner than all the rest.
and in this one Jim Sykes held the
championship. The lives Armsby saved
were nothing to him. for his princi-
pal business was destroying lives. He
would shoot on the slightest provoca.
ton and was Il dead shot. Armsby cant
out of ii house one day where he was
treating Il woman with nervous prostra-
ton. Sykes at the same time came out
Of the Ell Dorado saloon drunk and
bowling like a lunatic. The doctor told
him that the noise was a great detri
ment to the sick Jim whipped
out a revolver with which to make Il
reply and would probably have ended
the doctors career then and there had
not a a who was passing grabbed
his arm and disarmed him.
But II one who knew Jim Sykes
felt assured that when his mind once
got turned upon killing a Ia there
was a fair prospect for a funeral.
Those who appreciated the doctor for
the good he was doing begged him to
disappear for awhile, and when he re-
fused to do so they conjured him to
make a walking arsenal Of himself
and be on the tiptoe Of w~atchfulness
for Jim Sykes. The doctor said that
he would keep an eye out for the man
but would not attempt to fight him
with his own weapon. If I'm obliged
to fight for my life." he said. '1'l give
him a dose that will be better than
lead and worse than death. proba
bly, won't see him before he comes for
me. and I would be obliged to any of
you If you will tell him. l would like
him to know what's in store for him in
order that be may be forewarned and
keep OF. Id much rather kill him than
MAIN him. as | propose to do. since !
would have no chance against him with
powder and ball"
The message went to Sykes. and, in
stead Of inducing him to let the doctor
alone. 1t raised his blood to the boiling
point. He went hunting for Armsby
at once. but the doctor had been called
to visit a patient some distance away
and was not to be found. Sykes went
to his Office half a dozen times to find
him. but he had not returned from his
call of duty.
Bill Thompson. whose child Armsby
had saved from death by diphtheria.
hearing that Sykes was on the war
path. having learned where the doc.
tor had gone. mounted a horse and
rode out to warn him. He met the
doctor coming back.
II tell you what you do. Thompson"
said Armsby. You ride to my Office.
I'll stop on the rising ground at the
end of the street. If Sykes is in the
Office wave your bandanna: If not.
wave this" He gave Thompson his
own white handkerchief.
Thompson rode Oh into the little
town and dismounted at DR.. Armsby's
Office. He was informed that Sykes
had just been there and gone away
Thompson went outside and tagged
with a white handkerchief. In a few
minutes the doctor rode up. hitched his
horse to a post, took Off his saddlebags
and went inside. Sykes. who at the
momen came. out Of Il. saloon a short
distance away. at once stalked over to
the office. drawing a revolver as he
went.
Thompson. who was outside watch.
ing for aim. gave Armsby the warn.
ing. Sykes mounted the office steps.
entered the hall and passed into the
Doctors waiting room. The door be-
tween that and the consulting room
was ajar. The front . was well
lighted. there being two windows. In
the real room was but one window.
and the blinds to that we're closed.
The advantage so far as sight was con.
cerned was entirely with the man in
the dark.
Keep off Or you'll wish you'd never
been horn" came q voice from the