Part 5 (2/2)
It was at Springfield, Missouri, that Bill had his celebrated fight with Dave Tutt The fight put an end to Tutt's career I was a personal witness to another of his gun exploits, in which, though the chances were all against him, he protected his own life and incidentally his ah stakes Sitting by the table, I noticed that he seemed sleepy and inattentive So I kept a close watch on the other fellows Presently I observed that one of his opponents was occasionally dropping a card in his hat, which he held in his lap, until a nuaone around several times and was steadily raised by soh he still see At last the man with the hatful of cards picked a hand out of his reserves, put the hat on his head and raised Bill two hundred dollars Bill came back with a raise of two hundred, and as the other covered it he quietly shoved a pistol into his face and observed:
”I a the hand that is in your hat!”
[Illustration: HE SHOVED A PISTOL IN THE MAN'S FACE AND SAID ”I'M CALLING THE HAND THAT'S IN YOUR HAT”]
Gathering in the pot with his left hand, he held the pistol with his right and inquired if any of the players had any objections to offer
They hastened to reply that they had no objections whatever and ent away from there
”Bill,” I said, ere well outside the place, ”I had been noticing that fellow's play right along, but I thought you hadn't I was going to get into the game myself if he beat you out of that money”
”Billy,” replied Hickock, ”I don't want you ever to learn it, but that is one of ainst crooked players”
Not all of the gunht Some of theinning Such were the , which Hickock disposed of so thoroughly All along the stage route were robbers and man-killers far more vicious than the Indians Very early in my career as a frontiersman I had an encounter with a party of these from which I was extremely fortunate to escape with my life
I en excursions, in which I took a keen delight I was returning hoht overtook me in a lonely spot near a e-hens and built a little fire over which to broil theht's rest
Suddenly I heard a horse whinny farther up the strea instantly of Indians, I ran quickly tothe call, and thus revealing my presence
Filled with uneasiness as to who and what ht be, I resaddledhim tied where I could reach him in a hurry if need be, made my way up-stream to reconnoiter As I came around a bend I received an unpleasant shock Not one horse, but fifteen horses, were grazing just ahead of h up the out I drew near very cautiously till I came within, sound of voices within the place, and discovered that its occupants were conversing in ers to be whiteboldly to the door, I knocked
Instantly the voices ceased There ensued absolute silence for a space, and then ca about the dirt floor
”Who's there?” called someone
”A friend and a white ly-looking fellow stood before me
”Come in,” he ordered
I accepted the invitation with hesitation, but there was nothing else to do To retreat would have ht of theruffians I have ever set eyes upon sat about the dugout as I entered Two of thenized at once as teamsters who had been employed by Sied withhis horses Sied them, and it was supposed that they had left the country
I gave theet out of there as speedily as possible I was now practically certain that I had uncovered the hiding-place of a gang of horse-thieves who could have no possible reason to feel anything but hostility toward an honest ered towardman, and who's with you?”
”I am entirely alone,” I returned ”I left Horseshoe Station thisto ca, and came up to your camp”
”Where is your horse?”
”I left hi for the horse, which wasrid of their unwelcoo and get hiun here”