Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/102

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finally bantered the other to put up his mules. No sooner said than done, and the result was the same as be-fore. He was now, to use the phrase of some of the by standers, who had crowded around the two to watch the game, " Han'somely cleaned out." He had staked all, and lost all, and was of course rendered not a little des perate by the circumstance.

"Why don't you bet your body fixins?" cried one.

Like a drowning man at a straw, he caught at the idea, and the next moment he and his companion were deciding the ownership of his costume by a game of euehre. As might have been supposed, the result was against him, and he was at last completely beggared.

Seizing the half emptied can of liquor by his side, lie drained it at a draught, and in a tone of frenzy cried :

"Somebody lend me somethin! By!

I must have my fixins back."

"Luck's agin ye now," answered one. "Better wait till another time."

"No! now now! by! now!" he

fairly screamed. " I'll show Jim yet, that

I'm his master at cards any day he

pleases. Who'll lend me somethin, I eay?"

None seemed inclined, however, to as sist one so signally unfortunate; and hav ing waited a sufficient time, and finding his appeal likely to prove fruitless, the dis appointed man rose, and in a great passion swore he would leave "such outlandish diggins, and the heathenish set that in habit them."

"Whar'll ye go ?" asked his companion, in unusual glee.

"Whar no such scamps as you can

find me."

"But afore you leave, I spose you'll pay your debts?" retorted the other.

"What debts?"

"Did'nt I jest win your body fixins?"

"Well, do you claim them, too? I thought as how you'd got enough without them."

"('"nini all my property wharever I can find it," returned the other, more in jest than earnest. "Of course, ef you're go in to leave, so as I won't see you agin, I can't afford to trust."

"You'ie a villain!" cried the loser,

turning fiercely ipon his ,'riend : " A mean, dirty, villainous thief, and a liar!"

"Come, come, Sam them's hard words," replied the one cal'ed Jim, in a mood of some displeasure.

"Well they're true, you know it, and you darn't resent 'em."

"By !" cried the other, his eyet

flashing fire, and his whole frame trem bling with a newly roused passion "I dare and will resent it, at any time and place you please."

"The time's now, then, and the place hearabouts."

"And what the way?"

"Rifles thirty paces."

"Enough, by !" and both proceeded

to get their rifles and arrange themselves upon the ground a spot some forty yards distant from the encampment whither they were followed by a large crowd, all eager to be witnesses of a not uncommon, though what often proved a bloody scene, as was the case in the present instance.

Selecting a level spot, the parties in question placed themselves back to back, and having examined their rifles, each marched forward fifteen paces, and wheel ed face to his antagonist. Sam then called out:

"All ready?"

"Ready," w^s the reply.

"Somebody give the word, then," re turned the first speaker, and at the same instant both rifles were brought to the faces of the antagonists.

For a moment a breathless silence suc ceeded, which was broken by the distinct, but ominous word,

"Fire!"

Scarcely was it uttered, when crack went both rifles at once; and bounding up from the earth, with a yell of pain, Sam fell back a corpse, pierced through the brain by the bullet of his friend. Jim was unharmed, though the ball of the other had passed through his hat and grazed the top of his head. Dropping his rifle, with a look of horror that haunts na still, he darted forward, and was the first to reach the side of the dead. Bending down, he raised the body in his arms, and wiping the blood from its face with his hands, called out, in the most endearing and piteous tones: