A Sportsman 385 



up his hands in an arrest, and this last victim 

 had openly threatened the life of Tucker in retali- 

 ation. He came in on the day of his death while 

 heavily under the influence of liquor for the purpose 

 of carrying out his threat. Of this, Tucker was 

 well advised. The man came in at the station on 

 horseback, thoroughly armed, with his repeating 

 rifle in hand, inquiring for Tucker. He rode up on 

 the hotel platform and through an archway constructed 

 in the hotel for foot-passengers to cross the tracks 

 on each side. Meeting in this passageway one of 

 the hotel employe's, who held up his hands to warn 

 him from passing, he knocked him down by a blow 

 on the head from his gun, and passed through, dis- 

 mounting on the other side, and after tying his horse 

 proceeded to the restaurant in the hotel, where he 

 seated himself with his rifle placed on the table in 

 front of him, and called for some food. He seemed 

 unable to eat anything, either from excitement, or 

 the condition of his stomach. 



Tucker was apprised of the situation and on the 

 alert. The man shortly rose from the table, and 

 with rifle in hand made his way out to regain his 

 horse. As he came out from the passageway, Tucker 

 made his appearance from the hotel side, where 

 he had been waiting, and promptly ordered hands 

 up. Although the desperado was looking into the 

 two barrels of a shotgun loaded with buckshot, he 

 attempted to raise his own gun in defence, but be- 

 fore he could raise it he fell, mortally wounded from 

 the discharge of Tucker's gun, and the work of death 

 was over. Tucker's shotgun, which he habitually 

 carried when on the lookout for a close encounter, 

 25 



