The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-04
A Carving.
KnifeAfam
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

That was a time when the country be-
tween the Mississippi valley, aud the
was being settled by. a new
people and the population Was com !
posed Of hardy pioneers. men, broken |
down financially who had gone there to |
recoup, and desperadoes.
MacKnight concluded to go. out and
look, over the ground. The mode Of
travel In the region referred to was ON
horseback, and, as for stopping; pIacess
any settler would take in a. stranger
One evening MacKnight rode up to- a.
small farm and asked admission Of a
woman who bore evidence or refine
mept. He was admitted and treated!
with kindness, and attention, by the
family, among whom was, a. very rnet
ty daughter just grown to- womanhDod.
The family name was Osborne. ThR'
father had lost fortune and gone
west partly because he had not the
means to enable his wife. and childreh
to move In the same circle to which
they had. been accustomed and. partly
in the hope Of accommodating new capi
tai. MacKnight became interested III
these people and remained with them
several days.
One evening a man-a bloated. hairy
fellow with an ugly look on bis face
rode up to the house and called for
Osborne. Mrs. Osborne turned pale as
she told the man. whose name was
Muldrough. that her husband was not
at home. MuldrOugh rode away say
ing that he would call again. As soon
as he had gone the lady collapsed.
There had been trouble between Null
drough and. Osborne. the former hav-
ing branded some Of OsbOrne's stock
that had strayed on to his ranch.
MacKnight listened to the story told
tearfully by Rosa Osborne. and his
sympathies were aroused.
The day after Muldrougb's visit
MacKHight left the Osbornes. Instead
Of pursuing hts tour he rode to the
store a few miles distant from which
the neighbOrhood was supplied and
sent messenger to Muldrough that he
would like to see him on a matter OF
Importance Muldrough came to the
store, In which at the time were sew
eral cattlemen making purchases.
II understand, Mr.. Muldrongh." said
MacKnight. that there Is trouble b.
tween you and man Of the name. OF
Osborne, at whose house put up FOL
a few days. l have called for you t.
see If l can't bring about a settle
ment."
young man." said MuldrOugh, "l
want you to understand that II yor
don't want to 60 the road I propose Il
send Osborne you'd better keep out o.
this business"
MacKnight tried to reason with tn,
man. but. finding 1t impossible to pro
duce any effect on him. took anothe
tack.
"Since you are determined to 6gh
Mr.. Osborne" he said. II think 70,
should give him a chance for his life
In other words, he should have tn
choice Of weapons"
, BY this time the cattlemen had gath
cred round and evinced an interest Il
the discussion. 1t was plain that the
: were advocates Of fair play.
"You kin tell Osborne" replied Mu
drough. that I'll be at his house tc
morrow morning at 10 o'clock. Fin
out what weapon he prefers. and T.
have II with me-"
"He will fight you with bowl
knives" rejoined MacKnight
3 "Muldrough laughed. IAN right" b
, cried. "Tll be there with bowl
D knife"
= Gentlemen" said MacKnight, turf
ing to the cattlemen. there is a Qual
: rel between this man and Mr.. Osborne
at whose house I have recently bee
entertained as a guest. Mr.. Osborn
has family and can't afford to die d
. present l am bachelor and am a
liberty to take any risk. I'll fight Nj
Muldrough with knives twelve inche
long on condition that the fight b
transferred to me and Mr.. Osborn
have nothing further to do with it."
That's fair" was the unanimous e,
y clamation, and Muldrough unwilling
consented to the change.
, A couple Of carving knives were pr
). duced, each foot long; ring We
!. formed. two Of the cattlemen wei
II made seconds and a third umpir
+ Muldrough. who was large ma
Z lowered over his antagonist, who WI
It Of medium height. MacKnight a
=. vanced, retreated, advanced agai
4 danced about his opponent. his knil
n jumping about as glibly as himsel
It 1t flashed In the sun and left a cut
n Muldrough's cheek, from which bloJ
5. gushed. The knife flashed again, ar
l. the tip of the big mans nose came Of
d Muldrough went for his opponent
e bull after toreador. but MacKnig
y was not there. Nevertheless he lie
IS cash In Muldrough's other chez
While Muldrough was wondering no
L 1t came his knife few up in the a
1t described a semicircle and fell at b
70 feet. He was about to pick 1t
when his adversary put his foot on
n and held the point of his own knife
u the disarmed mans left breast. r.
fray was ended.
. Muldrough let Osborne alone aft
II that, for MacKnight bought a ranch
the neighborhood. married Rosa @
borne and was a perpetual defense I
= his father-in-law. His skin with {
!. short sword had been acquired at
German university when he was chal