So he said:
"You mustn't do that again."
Jack had doubtless been going through precisely the same mental
process, and, on the nice legal point involved, he seemed to
differ.
"I'll blow it when I damn please," he said.
"Blow it again and I'll arrest you," said Hale.
Jack blew. He had his right shoulder against the corner of his
door at the time, and, when he raised the whistle to his lips,
Hale drew and covered him before he could make another move. Woods
backed slowly into his saloon to get behind his counter. Hale saw
his purpose, and he closed in, taking great risk, as he always
did, to avoid bloodshed, and there was a struggle. Jack managed to
get his pistol out; but Hale caught him by the wrist and held the
weapon away so that it was harmless as far as he was concerned;
but a crowd was gathering at the door toward which the saloon-
keeper's pistol was pointed, and he feared that somebody out there
might be shot; so he called out:
"Drop that pistol!"
The order was not obeyed, and Hale raised his right hand high
above Jack's head and dropped the butt of his weapon on Jack's
skull--hard.
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