The daily Alaskan., 1915-06-04
The Unarned Ranchnan
By JOHN TURNLEE

When MacDonnell left his home in Edinburgh for the wild west in Amer lea to engage in ranching he was as mild q hammered fellow as ever lived, Nothing troubled him so much as to have a difficulty with any one. On the day of his departure one of hL friends said to him;
 Tt seems to me, Mac, that you will be out of your element in a country where there Is no law except gun law"
 "Oh. won't be troubled" was the reply. I'll not offend any one and If any one ofTends me and l have to fight I'll try to arrange for substitute of fists instead of guns"
 "Youll not be likely to effect such an arrangement; you're too strong. Those fellows won't care to tackle you in a trial of muscle"
 When Mcdonnell reached his new home he astonished the inhabitants of the country by going about without the customary enormous revolver slung to his side. He was warned by friends that such q course was unsafe. True, the people of the region were a gener- ous, whole souled lot, who respected any man for doing as be pleased so long as he did not injure his neighbor. But there were men who had come from the lowest haunts Of vice, who would not hesitate to shoot any one they took fancy to shoot, even If un- armed. But Mcdonnell refused to be converted and continued to ride over bis ranch with no other weapon than a lasso.
 The only trouble he had was with a neighboring ranchman named Flaw. kins, who insisted on claiming Mac Donnelrs sheep. For a time. when ever there was a question of owner ship between them, Mac would give in. This encouraged Hawkins to increasl bis demands, and 1t finally became ap- parent that if Mac did not call halt all bis sheep would in time be trans terred to Hawkins ranch.
 One morning Hawkins rode up to MacDonnells ranch house. called him out and began to abuse him scurrilous- Y, accusing him of branding one of his HawkinsD sheep. Mcdonnell was obliged to stand and take what was said to him, for should he retail ate in any way Hawkins was liable to draw his revolver and shoot him. Mae waited till be had finished and was about to ride away. Then he said to him:
 "Mr. Hawkins, you have grievously insulted an unarmed man. l am op- posed to the use of firearms, but If you will give me such satisfaction as may be afforded in the ring with fists shall be obliged to you"
 ''That kind O fghtin' may do for a milksop like you. but 1t isn't the kind we're used to in this country. When We fight out out here we fight to Kill" :"
 With that he rode away.
 Mcdonnell did not take this attnck kindly. Several of his employees, in. cluding one of his herders, witnessed the torrent of abuse heaped upon him. and 1t galled him to live under the obloquy of having taken 1t without 0 fight Besides, he knew that such q public insult would be spread abroad. and be feared that the community would consider him coward. Finally he made up his mind that he must fol- low the custom of the country, and the day after the insult the 42 caliber re- volver of the country appeared at his hip.
 Fortunately he did not happen tc meet Hawkins for some time. When he did 1t was up in the mountains back of the grazing lands. Mac was passing over a path about yard wide leading around an almost perpendicu. lar cliff. Behind him were two of his herders. Suddenly turning a bend, Hawkins and Mcdonnell met face to face and not ten feet apart, Haw' kins being first of four men
 Mcdonnell was a very different man from the man who had left Scot land a year before. He had been breeding over the insult he had re ceived till he was ready to fight to the death the man who bad given 1t He was very quick in his movements, and before Hawkins had quite taken in the situation Mac had drawn his revolver and had the drop On his enemy.
 Mir. Hawkins" be said. I'll trouble