Year: 1877

| see he had an equal chance Tor his life


He, therefore, called upon me, from sec


ing nv name on the book of the hotel


to know if would aid his friend on thi


irving occasion. replied that, if tn,


case was as he stated and believed, hi:


friend was deeply injured man, and il


satisfied of that, would assist him


cheerfully. He then asked if would


wait, and he would bring his friend tc


see me, which he shortly did, and, on


adjourning to my room, he recounted


the same facts and circumstances in re.


gard to the case, and begged me to aid


him, and, if possible, to settle the affair


without difficulty, as he was exceedingly


avorse to having the lady's name


brought before the public, or in any


manner connected with such troubles.


At my request he gave me letter of in


PRODUCTION to the lady, which would en-
able me to judge for myselfOf the history


ofthe matter, and also arm me with the


power to assert the innocence of my


principal, from the lips of the lady her
SELF


Accordingly, next morning rode out,


not very great distance, and saw the


lady, and although kept from her any
knowledge of the threatened trouble, by


placing my interference on the ground
| Of charges against the character of her
accepted suitor, yet had considerable


trouble to disarm her suspicious She
several times asked me if any difficulty
had arisen between the two parties, to


which l replied that l had seen none,


which was literally true. Her conduct
was very proper and feminine, and i'm
pressed me greatly with the high opinion
that all had admitted to be her due. She
besought nae warmly to have the matter
arranged without any i'll feeling be-
tween the parties, and assured me over
again, that her own prediction alone
had been the ground of her decision,
and that while she had accepted the one,
nothing could ever cause her 10 unite
herself with the other.


Upon my return to the hotel, ! found
the gentlemen waiting for me, and on
reporting my correctness of the position
of my principal, the challenge OF his an
togonist was handed to me. Itwas very
short, nervous, decisive and vindicitive
and in proper form, but bearing the i'm
press of determined hostility. / at once
directed my principal to retire from the
city, and practice with pistols as much
as possible before the meeting. He had
very good appearance, perfectly calm,
and though worried on account Of bring
ing the lady's name before the public,
yet firm in his convictions of having
done no injury to his assailant, and de-
termined to accept the consequences that
should be forced upon him. l then
called upon the second, of the other
party, and notifying him of the accept
ance of the challenge he had brought,
asked that further action might be de-
layed until / could have an interview
with his principal, in hope of making an
amicable adjustment. To this he con-
sented, and on being introduced to his
principal, as the second Of his antagonist,
stated the object of my interview, which
was to convince him Of the total absence
of any act of intention, on the part of
my friend, to interfere with his wishes.
He was very hostile and implacable, and
stated that nothing could remove his
knowledge of the fact of injury to him.
self, for he knew it, and his mind was
made up, which nothing would change.
I.stated to him that the lady was, of
course, an authority that he, from his
opinion of her honor, could not reject.
This appeared to excite him still further,
and he replied that no doubt under the
influence of his rival, she could be com
pelled to say anything to clear him of
responsibility. From my desire to re-
lieve my friend J. showed him that
woman who could be SO easily and un-
fairly moved, was not worth the regard
of an honorableman. But he was perfectly
implacable, and said that nothing but the
blood of the man who had injured him
would satisfy him, and he would have
that or die in the attempt. AS further
argument was useless, / told him he
should be gratified, but that the whole
responsibility would rest upon him. He
answered that he would take that, and l
left him. ........ ,..x..s,.,..-. boz.


1 saw, at once that my principal was
in. q very dangerous position, that this
man possessed great hostility, vindictive-
ness, decision, and, no doubt courage,
and, in his frame of mind was likely to
be perfectly reckless though my chief
hope lay in his ungovernable rage and
excitement, which might save my prin-
cipal.


Upon leaving sought his sec"nd, and
arranged the terms with him, which
were common style, pistols, ten PAGES,
Friday morning, sunrise, about four
miles out, on the Robinson trace" a
trail of an old hunter, well known. to
every traveller through the Indian ma
ton, and travelled every year by fat
.boatmen and others, returning from New
Orleans, after the sale of their boats, to
Nashville, Kentucky, or Pittsburg, as
they belonged.


Immediately joined my principal in
the country, at the plantation of a friend,
and, as / had but two days in which to
prepare him for the combat, drilled
him regularly in the mode of meeting,
and in the use of the weapon. The pis-
tolls were no great things, but Q town
gunsmith had made them reliable, which
was all that could be made out of them,
for they were rather heavy, and not very
we'll finished. In practising / abolished
taking aim over thesights and beads, and
made him shoot precisely like shooting
with bow and arrow, viz: by drawing
to the eye.


My principal improved well. He pos.
sessed fine intellect, easy and quick of
comprehension, splendid gray eye,
good, strong, muscular power, and, 1t ap-
peared to me, fair, reliable courage, so
that, by the day appointed, 1 felt conf
dent of his ability to hit his antagonist,
and his courage to g stand the racket"
l cautioned and practised him against let
ting his fire be drawn, which beginners
are very apt to allow, and required above
all that he should not fire until fully
ready. He promised strict conformity
to ali my directions, though one feature
was not pleased with, viz: on several
occasions he asked il j thought it imper-
Atively necessary that he should ell.
deavor to kill his antagonist. ! replied
that no doubt could exist on that point