When Hopalong went
to the line his friends knew that they would now see
shooting such as would be almost unbelievable, that the best draw-and-
shoot marksman in their State was the man who limped slightly as he
advanced and who chewed reflectively on his fifty-cent cigar. He wore
two guns and he stepped with confidence before the marshal of the
town, who was also judge of the contest.
The iron ball which lay on the ground was small enough for the use
of a rifle and could hardly be seen from the rear seats of the
amphitheater. There was a word spoken by the timekeeper, and a gloved
hand flashed down and up, and the ball danced and spun and leaped and
rolled as shot after shot followed it with a precision and speed which
brought the audience to a heavy silence. Taking the gun which Buck
tossed to him and throwing it into the empty holster, he awaited the
signal, and then smoke poured from his hips and the ball jumped
continuously. Both guns emptied in the two-hand shooting, he wheeled
and jerked loose the guns which the marshal wore, spinning around
without a pause, the target hardly ceasing in its rolling. Under his
arms he shot, backward and between his legs; leaping from side to
side, ducking and dodging, following the ball wherever it went.
Reloading the weapons quickly, he stepped forward and followed the
ball until once more his guns were empty.
Pages:
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266