Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-05-31

to get him. There could be no false
sentiment about II. Tudor had been a
cunning devil when he proposed this
sort OF duel, Sheldon concluded, as he
began TO work along cautiously In the
direction of the last shot.
When he arrived at the spot Tudor
was gone. and only his footprints re-
NAMED, pointing out the course be had
taken into the depths of the planta-
ton. Once. ten minutes later, he
caught a glimpse OF Tudor n hundred
yards away, crossing the same avenue
as himself, but going In the opposite
direction. His rife half leaped to his
shoulder, but the other was gone.
More In whlm than In hope Of result,
grinning to himself as he did so, Shei-
don raised bis automatic pistol and
In two seconds sent eight shots scat
tering through the trees in the dlrec-
ton in which Tudor had disappeared.
Wishing he had a shotgun, Sheldon
dropped TO the ground behind a tree,
slipped a fresh clip up the hollow butt
OF the pistol, threw o cartridge into
the chamber, showed the safety catch
into place and reloaded the empty clip.
II was but a short time after that
that Tudor tried the same trick on
him, the bullets pattering about him
like spiteful rain, thudding into the
palm trunks or glancing or in whining
ricochets. The last bullet OF all, max
ing a double ricochet from two DIFF
ferent trees and losing most Of Its mo-
mentum, struck Sheldon a sharp blow
on the forehead and dropped at his
feet. He was partly stunned for the
moment. but on investigation found no
greater harm than a nasty lump that
soon rose to the size OF q pigeons
egg.
firing Of the endless circling, Shell.
don tried once more to advance direct
~ on his foe, but the latter was too
crafty, taking advantage OF his bold
ness to FIRE a couple Of shots at him
and slipping away on some changed
and continually changing course. For
an hour they lodged and turned and
twisted back and forth and around and
hunted each other among the orderly
palms. They caught fleeting glimpses
OF each other and CHANGED flying shots
which were without result. On n
grassy shelter behind a tree Sheldon
came upon where Tudor had rested
and smoked a cigarette. The pressed
grass showed where he had sat- AT
one side lay the cigarette stump and
the charred match which had lighted
II. In front lay scattering OF bright
metallic fragments. Sheldon recog-
nized their significance. Tudor was
notchlng bis steel jacketed bullets or
cutting them blunt, so that they would
spread on strikin"-in short. he was
making them into the vicious dumdum
prohibited in modern warfare. Shell
don knew now what would happen to
him IL bullet struck his body. 1t
would leave n tiny hoe where 1t en-
tered. hut the hole where II emerged
would he the size of saucer.
He decided to give IN the pursuit
and lie down In the grass. protected
right and left by the row OF palms,
with. IN either hand. the long avenue
extending. This he could watch. TIL
dor would have 10 come 10 him or else |
there would he 10 termination of the |
affair. He wiped the sweat from his
face aud tied the handkerchief around
his neck to keep OF the singing gnats
that iurked in the grass. Never had |
lie felt so great disgust for the thing |
called adventure" Joan had been |
bad enough with her Baden-Powell and |
long barreled Colts. hut here was this
newcomer, also looking for adventure
and finding It In no other way than by
Juggling a peace loving planter into an
absurd and preposterous bushwhack'
ing duel. II ever adventure was well
damned It was by Sheldon. sweating
in the MINDLESS grass and fighting
gnats the while he kept close watch
IN and down The avenue.
Then Tudor came. Sheldon happen.
ed 10 be looking in his direction at
the moment he came into view, peer
ing quickly up and down the avenue
before he stepped. into the open. Mid
way he stopped. as II debating what
course to pursue. He made a splendid
mark. facing his concealed enemy at
200 yards distance. Sheldon aimed
at the center Of his chest. then delib-
erately shifted the aim to his right
shoulder, and with the thought, THAT
will nut him out Of business" pulled
the trigger. The bullet, driving with
momentum sufficient TO perforate
mans body mile distant, struck
Tudor with such force as to pivot
him. whirling him half around by the
shock Of. its impact and knocking him
down.
Hope l haven't killed the beggar,"
Sheldon muttered aloud. springing to
his feet and running forward.
A hundred feet away all anxiety on
that score was relieved by Tudor, who
made shift with his left hand and
from his automatic pistol hurled rain
of bullets all around Sheldon. The