The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-06-18
The Unnamed
Ranchman
B, JOHN TURNLEE

When Macdonald left bis home In
Edinburgh for the wild west In Amer.
lea to engage in ranching he was
a. 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 o. OF his
friends said to him:
1T seems to me, Mac. that you will
be out Of your element in a country
where there is no law except gun law"
"Oh. l won't be troubled" was the
reply. I'll not offend any n and II
any one onends me and have to fight
III try to arrange for a substitute Of
lists 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 a
trial Of muscle"
When MacDonnell 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 cours 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 n%eighbor.
But there were men who had come
from the lowest haunts of vice, who
would not hesitate to shoot any one
they took a fancy to shoot. ever if I'M
armed. But mcdonnell refused to be
converted and continued to ride over
his ranch with no other weapon than
a lasso.
The only trouble he had was with a
%neighboring ranchman named Haw-
kins. who insisted on claiming Mac
Donnelrs sheep. For a time. when
eve there was a 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 ore OF
his HIawkinsD sheep. Macdonald
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
was about to ride away. Then he said
to him:
"Alr. Hawkins. you have grievonsly
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 fchtin' may do for n
milkSop like Won. but it isn't the kind
we're used to in this country. When
we fight out ont here we fight to kill"
With that he rode way
MacDOnnell 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
oblOGuy Of having taken it without II
fight. Besides. he knew that such Il
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-
low the custom Of the country. and the
day after the insult the AZ caliber re-
volver Of the country appeared at his
hip.
Fortunately be 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 Il path about Il yard wide
leading around IN almost perpendicu.
lar cliff. Behind him were two Of his
herders. Suddenly turning "A bend.
Hawkins and MacDonneIl met face
to face and. not ten feet apart. Haw.
kins being first Of -four me
mcdonnell was u 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 u who had given it.. He
was very quick in his movements. and
before Hawkins had quite taken In the
situation Mac had drawn bis revolver
and had the drop on his enemy.
"Mr. Hawkins" be said. It'll trouble
you to ask the man behind yon to re-
lieve you Of your revolver and drop II
over the Cliff"
Hawkins made no reply for q few
moments, glazing at bis antagonist.
Suppose I decline" be said pres
emily.
I'm that case III drop your dead body
over with a ball in It,"
Hawkins stood MacDonnell's glance
and the muzzle of bis revolver a LITTLE
longer. then told the man behind bin
to obey the order. His revolver wal
dropped yer the cli6.
It was followed by Macs weapon
and both men stood unarmed.
" now propose a wrestling match
II w. ---.l-- f-AA ~ ~~ mn