Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-03-16

friends would never let him live if he
remained in the mountains. He took a
little known trail to Fort Benton and
the protection of Mr.. Dawson, the fac
tor. The next spring he went down
the Missouri river to the states
Plummers wound was dangerously
serious. DR.. Click was called He ad-
vised amputation as the only sure
means of saving Plummer'S life, since
the bullet channel was filled with
splintered bone and damaged tissues
In a previous gun battle Plummer
had lost the active use Of his left
hand for trigger purposes. He pre-
ferred death to the loss of his right
arm. When he became unable to use
a gun, he knew, his enemies would kill
him. He peremptorily refused to per-
NIT amputation, and demanded that
the bullet be removed. DR. Click I'M
dertook the operation with grave mis-
givings.
When his preparations were COM
plete and he was ready to operate, Old
Tex and Bill Hunter entered the cabin
with drawn guns.
clared Hunter, that if you cut an
artery, or if Plummer dies from the
operation, I'm going to shoot the top
of your head off"
The wound was thoroughly cleansed,
but the bullet was not located. The
arm was so badly swollen it was inn
possible to use a probe.
For many days the outcome of the
operation was uncertain. Only one
chance in a thousand, pr Click was
certain, remained for Plummer'S life.
But over his head hung the threat of
should Plummer die.
DR.. Click had openly aligned himself
with the forces of law and order in
then only feebly audible.
Thus he had earned the enmity OF
Plummer's crowd. He was, neverthe-
less their only haven when they need
ed medical attention.
Their open pretense of belief that
DIR. Click would not try to save Plum
mer's life was their alibi IN case they
undertook his assassination.
That Plummer would die was the |
doctors honest conviction. The crisis |
was approaching If Plummer died, his |
chance to escape was very small. But |
ne determined to brave the winter |
weather to have that slim chance. A |
friend provided a horse, saddled and /
ready, in the brush behind his cabin. |
He rested fully prepared for flight,
But when he was called at m1dnlgnC |
,he miracle had come to pass. The |
;welling was reduced, the fever much |
ess. and the arm was saved. Plummer /
would live to continue his reign OF /
error.
Thereafter the good doctor was at
he mercy Of every whim Of the road
agent band.
one day Plummer invited DR.. Click
% accompany him to the woods Ito
Jick some berries" He found half
lozen men, their faces masked or
~ +t,4nIraf a FearnCfTtynd
wo Of them-AugustuS Moore ana
Billy Terwilliger. Terwilliger had leg
After the wound was dressed Plum
ner pulled his gun to emphasize his
NOW. doc. YOU know it all. These are
nv men. I'm their chief. If you ever
reathe a word of this, I'll kill you'll"
Thereafter Dr. Click had to answer
Many calls from the road agents. For
preservation he had to keep his
wn counsel. He had also to move in
ne ordinary paths of community Life
f Bannack without defense against
ne suspicious chances thrown his way.
nly his kindness and sympathy and
is untiring service to the suffering
ED him in respect. -
THE good doctors heart leaped with ,
" when he learned the Vigilantes
ad begun to clean up the country.
Jhen he learned Plummer had been
anged he lost no time in telling his !
ory. He gave all the information he
,uid to help the vigilantes in their
ork.
And that bullet In PlImmer's arm2
After his death an autopsy was per- I
,rned. The bullet had entered the
arrow duct OF the large bone and
Id been stopped In its course by the 8
,nes of the hand. The action Of the
rist Joint for a year had rubbed the I
aden pellet to the smoothness OF
,lished silver.