“I dare you,” replied the man, with an insulting epithet, “to fight me with pistols.” Looking around, Crawford discovered Plummer among the listeners standing near, and comprehended the situation in an instant. “You have the odds of me with a pistol,” said he. “Why should I fight you?” “Well, then,” said the man, in a furious passion, “try it with your fists. That will tell which is the best man.” Discovering that the man had no belt, Crawford unbuckled his own, and laid his pistol on the bar. Following his challenger into a dark corner of the room, he slapped him in the face. The man instantly drew from his coat a revolver, but before he could aim it, Crawford seized him by the throat and disarmed him. At this moment, Plummer joined the man in the attack on Crawford, and the two wrested the pistol from him, and, but for the timely interference of Harry Phleger, who came to Crawford’s assistance and recovered possession of the pistol, Crawford would probably have been shot. Crawford and Phleger then left the saloon. It did not surprise Crawford, when told afterwards by the saloon-keeper, that the design was to entrap him into an outdoor fight with pistols, when Plummer was ready, with his friends, to shoot him as soon as the battle commenced. This assault did not disturb Plummer’s affected friendship for Crawford. Learning a few days afterwards that the latter was going to Deer Lodge for cattle, Plummer on the first opportunity told him that he should start for Fort Benton the next morning. Crawford knew that this was offered as an explanation in advance for his absence, and to throw him off his guard in the trip he contemplated making after cattle. He replied at once, “Wait a day or two and I’ll accompany you part way.” “No,” said Plummer, “my business is urgent.” Plummer left the next morning, accompanied by George Carrhart. Crawford found it convenient to be detained by private business, and sent his butcher in his stead, who met Plummer at the crossing of Big Hole River, and that worthy, upon being informed that Crawford was not going to Deer Lodge, returned to Bannack. Crawford was afterwards told that Plummer had made three efforts at different times to waylay and murder him on the road to Deer Lodge. Among other devices employed, Plummer sought through his associates to accomplish the death of Crawford. He sent a notorious rough known as Bill Hunter, to engage him in a quarrel and shoot him. Hunter, meeting Crawford, told him he had something against him. “If you want anything of me,” said Crawford, with the emphasis of his hand upon his pistol, “you can get it right straight along.” Seeing that he would probably be killed before he could draw his pistol, or, in the sententious phrase of the country, that he could not “get the drop on him,” Hunter left, discomfited by Crawford’s bravery. The next Sunday while Crawford and George Perkins were in conversation, in one of the saloons, Plummer came in, seemingly in great anger.