did so, "I will kill you, for your
niece is my heart's delight and I will die for her." Buck Cannon's dying
words were, "Boys, don't let a good man die with his boots on."

Along in the spring of 1879 we sent to Dodge City, Kansas, with a herd
of cattle for the market and after they were disposed of, we boys turned
our attention to the search of amusement. Some of the boys made for the
nearest saloon and card table, but I heard there was to be a dance at
Bill Smith's dance hall and in company with some of the other boys
decided to attend. There was always quite a large number of cowboys in
Dodge City at this time of the year, so we were not surprised to find
the dance hall crowded on our arrival there. Smith's place occupied a
large, low frame building down by the railroad tracks on the south. We
found many old acquaintances there, among them being Kiowa Bill, a
colored cattle man and ranch owner of Kansas, whose ranch was on Kiowa
creek. I had met him several times but this was the first time I had
seen him in a couple of years, but as he was dancing with a young lady I
could not get to speak with him at once. So I looked up a wall flower
and proceeded to enjoy myself. We had not been dancing long when I
became aware of a commotion over near the bar, and all eyes were turned
in that direction. I soon ascertained the cause of the commotion to be a
dispute between Kiowa Bill and Bill Smith, the proprietor of the place,
who was behind the bar. Kiowa Bill, after finishing the dance with his
fair partner, took her to the bar to treat her. Smith, who was tending
bar refused to serve her saying she had enough already. Kiowa Bill told
Smith he (Kiowa Bill) was paying for what she wanted to drink and that
he wanted her to get what she wanted. Smith said no, she could not have
anything more to drink as she had too much already. At this Kiowa Bill
reached over the bar and struck Smith over the head with a whiskey
bottle, partly stunning him, but he recovered in an instant and grabbed
his 45 Colt, Kiowa Bill doing the same and both guns spoke as one. Smith
fell dead behind the bar with a bullet through his heart. Kiowa Bill
rolled against the bar and slowly sank to the floor and was dead when we
reached him.

The next day they were hauled to the cemetery, laying side by side in
the same wagon, and were buried side by side in the same grave. Kiowa
Bill had made his will a short time before and it was found on his body
when he was