Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1921-07-01

NS H'S' MS manu-. IL was q QueS-
tion' rather. as to who should recover
hrst from his establishment. If Bena-
vides decided 10 let bygones be by-
cones and retreat without firing
shot. then Webster was quite willing
to permit him to pass unmolested; in
deed. such was his aversion to shoot
ing any man. so earnestly did he hone
the Sobrantean would consider that
discretion was the better part of valor,
that he resolved to inculcate that idea
In the Hotspur.
Captain Benavides." he said suave-
ly, your cause Is lost. If you care to
escape aboard the steamer, / -1ill see
to it that you are not removed from
her before she sails; If you care to
surrender to me now. | give you nv
word of honor you will not be exc
cuted."
Benavides might have had, and
doubtless did have. his faults. but
cowardice was not one of them. And he
did have the ghost of a sense of hu-
NOR. An evil smile fitted over his
olive features.
without taking into consideration
the bayonets at my back" he replied,
sit strikes me the odds are even now.
And yet you patronize me-"
Webster was nettled. "Pd rather
do that than kill you, Benavides," he
retorted.s Don't be a fool. Run
along and sell your papers, and take
your pitiful little sandal-footed bril-
gands with you. Scatl"
Benavides hand, holding his pistol,
had been hanging loosely at ais side.
With his furious glance meeting Web
ster's unfalteringly. with the merest
movement of his wrist and scarcely
without movement of his forearm, he
threw up his weapon and fred.
Scarcely a fifth of a second had
elapsed between the movement of his
wrist and the pressure of his finger
on the trigger; Webster. gazing stead
lily into the somber eyes. had noted
no hint of the mans intention, and
was caught actually off his guard.
The bullet tore through his biceps,
momentarily paralyzing him, and his
automatic dropped gathering to the
sidewalk; as he stopped and recovered
1t, Benavides fred again, creasing
the top of his left shoulder. The
finishing shot, but when he pulled the
trigger the hammer fell on a defective
cartridge. which gave to John Stuart
Webster all the advantage he craved.
He planted a bullet in Benavides abb
domen with his first shot, blew out
the duelist's brains with his second,
and whirled to meet the charge of the
little sandal-footed soldados, who,
seeing their leader fallen, had with
out an instant's hesitation and appar-
emily by mutual consent decided to
avenge him.
Webster backed dazedly toward the
wall, firing as he did so. but he was
too dizzy to shoot effectively. end the
semicircle of bayonets closed in on mis-
front. He had wounded three men
without stopping them; a second
more, and their long. eighteen-inch
bayonets would have been In his
vitals, when into the midst Of the
melee. from the rear. dashed Don
Juan Cafetero, shrieking like a iend |
and swinging his rifle, which he held
grasped by the barrel.
Webster saw a bayonet lunging to-
ward him. He lifted his leg and
caught the point on his boot-heel while
with his last cartridge he killed the
man behind the bayonet, just as the
.+ A., -&x fxht
and true in under the Americans left
arm. while a third man jabbed at his
and got the bayonet home In
MS hip. These two thrusts, delivered
almost simultaneously, by their i'm
pact carried their victim backward
against the wall. against which his
head collided With a smart thud. He
ell forward on his face; before his
issailants could draw back for a fin
shing thrust, in case the gringo need
ID 1t. which they doubted. Don Juan
had Drained them both.
Standing above the man he loved,
With the latter's body between his
food for the final accounting. his but
ermilk eyes cleaning hatred and war
his lips drawn back from
lis snaggle teeth, his breast rising
md falling as they closed in around
lin. For few seconds he was visi-
de swinging his rifle like a fail,
unterrified-and then
ayonet slipped in under his guard.
t was the end.
With a final great effort that useu
Ip the last strength In his drink
orroded muscles be hurled his rifle
lto the midst of his fJnr remaining
nemies, before be swayed and top
led full length on top of Webster,
with his poor body the man {
tho had famed TO fame the dying {
lnber of manhood in the wreck that
rink and the devil had cast up on the '
aribbean coast T
For Don Juan Cafetero 1t had been (
long. joyous, thirsty day. but at a
Isl the day was done. And In order G
, ,,al-a rarfoin c0Ido60 10 bf,~, h