Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-07-22
The Unarrned.
Ranchnlan
By JOHN TURNLEE

as to have a difficulty with any one
On the day of his departure one Of his
friends said to him:
''It seems to me, Mac, that you will
be out Of your element in a country
where there is no law except gun law"
ooh, won't be troubled was the
reply. 'I'll not offend any one, and if
any one offends me and l have to fight
I'll try to arrange for a substitute of
fists instead Of guns
you'll not be likely to effect such an
arrangement; you're too strong. Those
fellows won't care to tackle you in
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 a course was unsafe. True,
the people Of the region were a gener-
GUS, whole sOuled lot, who respected
any man for doing as he 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 I'M
armed. But mcdonnell refused to be
converted and continued to ride over
his ranch with no other weapon than
lasso.
The only trouble he had was with a
nQiOh hnrinU YanHhnan nannH
kins, who insisted on claiming Mac
DonnelPs sheep. For a time when
ever there was q question of owner
ship between them, Mac would give in.
This encouraged Hawkins to increase
his demands, and it finally became ap-
parent that if Mac did not call a halt
all his sheep would in time be trans
ferred to Hawkins ranch.
One morning Hawkins rode up to
MacDOnnell's ranch house, called him
out and began to abuse him scurrilous-
ly, accusing him of branding one of
his HawkinsO sheep. MacDonnel
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.
Mac waited till he had finished and
I was about to ride away Then he said
to him:
"Mr. Hawkins, you have grievously
| insulted an unarmed man. | 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. fightin' may do for a
milksop like you, but it 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 attack
kindly. Several of his employees, in
Guiding one Of his herders, witnessed
the torrent of abuse heaped upon him,
and it CALLED him to live under the
obloquy of having taken it without a
fight. Besides, he knew that such a
public insult would be spread abroad,
and he feared that the community
would consider him a coward. Finally
he made up his mind that he must fol-
-
day after the insult the ~ caliber re-
volver of the country appeared at his
hip.
Fortunately he did not happen to
meet Hawkins for some time. When
he did it was up in the mountains
back of the grazing lands. Mac was
passing over path about yard wide
o1,
lar cliff. Behind him were two of his
herders. Suddenly turning 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
brooding over the insult he had re-
ceived till he was ready to fight to the
death the man who had given it. 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.
"Mr. Hawkins" he said, 'I'll trouble
you to ask the man behind you to re-
lieve you of your revolver and drop it |
over the cliff
Hawkins made no reply for a few
moments, glazing at his antagonist
Suppose l Decline he said pres
emily.
"In that case I'll drop your dead body |
over with q ball in it,
Hawkins stood MacDonnelrs glance |
and the muzzle of his revolver a little |
longer, then told the man behind him
to obey the order. His revolver was
dropped over the cliff.
1t was followed by Macs weapon,
and both men stood unarmed.
II now propose a wrestling match,
Mr. Hawkins, right here. If you can |
throw me over after my revolver you
are welcome to do So"
81 decline certain death for BOTH"
said Hawkins.
suT1bo,, +,,rp oro,,p1 with po,,r ,,or%x,