The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-05-25

nhu uOuuteSS 1ntpnueu lOT WuIuHik
that II took Daisy Nolan away from
him l would have to face sure death.
The witnesses urged me to go In and
have something but l declined, saying
that / was anxious for smoke and
would go upstairs for another pipe.
The truth is l wanted chance to go
where l could, unobserved, give way
to my feelings for few moments,
they having been controlled only by a
most desperate effort.
When l was alone / staggered to the
bed, fell on 1t and for few minutes
trembled like leaf. But when l be-
gan to recover started to get mad at
the same time. Men will fight more
desperately for a woman than for any
other cause, and 1t occurred to me
that, Daisy being the bone Of conten-
ton, If she preferred me either Barker
or l must die. I spent some time con-
sidering what to do, then went to the
ranch, intending to offer myself to
Daisy. If she refused me l would
leave the field at once to all suitors
If she accepted me would have it out
with Barker.
l found Miss Daisy very much ex-
cited. She had heard of Barker's shoot
ing escapade and had turned bitterly
against him. / told her that l want
ed her and IL she wanted me l was
willing to settle the matter between
Barker and myself. Her reply was all
l could have asked for, but she posi-
lively forbade my coming into COLI.
sion, with my rival. told her frankly
that / believed ne would kill me If /
married her and that the matter had
better be settled before the wedding.
Being woman, she wished to get
round the matter by subterfuge and
for the time being would consent to
nothing definite.
Daisy was very fond of an old ranch
er called Jake Huchins. To her he
was Uncle Jake" A day or two after
Barker's shooting as | was riding over
the country on horseback, Huchins
came up behind me and ambled along
side of me.
81 hearn about the shootin' o your
pipe outen your mouth" he said. "Lit-
tie Daisy was tellin' me about it,"
"Oh, it was Miss Nolan who told
you, was itT'
Yes. And, what's more, she asked
me to suggest some way O. settlin' the
matter without blood spillln'."
"That's impossible" said l.
$50 thort at fust, but arter awhile
thort of plan. Barker's mighty
proud o his shootin', and he's pretty
much made up his mind that he's lost
| Daisy. | reckon he'd agree to settle
the matter by trial o skill between
him and you"
I'm no shot. Such contest would
give Miss Daisy to him, and she
doesn't want him."
"Not so fast. You don't need to be
much o shot. Could you hit hens
egg at twenty feetY"
II might hit one, perhaps, in two
or three shots"
"Well, give Daisy my plan, and
she's decided to try it. Here's note
for you, and here's note for Barker.
Whichever hits a hens egg with a
forty-two the most outen five shots
shell marry"
He handed me note to that effect
from Daisy and showed me another
he was commissioned to deliver to
Barker.
"Do you cohsent?" he added, draw
ing rein
YES" | said "I consent to any
thing Daisy desires"
Without waiting for more he turned
about and rode back In the direction
whence he came.
The next day Uncle Jake informed
me that Barker had gladly agreed tO
the terms.
On the appointed day l made my
appearance at the barn, wondering
what was to he the upshot of this sin
gular contest | found an egg sus-
pended over basket by fine thread
! won the toss and with 1t the right to
fire five consecutive shots at the eggs
| missed the first and the fourth, but
smashed the eggs on the second
third and fifth. For my life | could
not see why | had not lost. 1t would
be nothing for Barker to hit the eggs
every time.
\ new egg was attached to the thread
for him to shoot at, and, whipping ont
his revolver, he fired with apparent
carelessness. He was surprised to see
, the egg osclllatc violently, but the shel
was not broken, The next time ht
fired he took careful aim. but with NJ
better success. lie was thunderstruck
Since l had hit the egg three times hi
could now only tie me.
Barker aimed long and carefully a
the center and sent the egg bobbing
! but still the shell was unDroken. Fling
ing his revolver on the barn floor III
t strobe away,
| knew that Barker had been tricked
. but could not conceive how. 1t ap
| peared to me that nothing could b.
a more fair than the trial. l asked Un
1 Gle Jake how he had managed to lie
{ me, poor shot, beat the best shot IL
b the territory. He would not tell M
Y how 1t was done.