The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-04-29
CHEERFUL, HARRY.

SuEEObuuluB Tue Fllldg6 TIC CIlILSL6 HUSH
ed their murmurings at lesser evils, and
silently skulked to their cabins, there to
listen, with bated breath, for the first
sounds of warfare sure to follow Dams
arrival in town. Often times the guile
less stranger, unacquainted with the true
ulent ruffian's ''record, was the victim,
but as general rule it was some obsti-
nate lumberman, who sacrificed himself
for more timid men. 1t was singular
fact that. no matter how peaceably inclin-
ed Pilot City might be, at the moment
Eel River Dan came down from his
mountain home ''on time, somebody
had to suffer.
He was "bad' in the most literal sense
OF the word, and there were but few who
dared approach him after he had "declar
ed himself and ''turned himself loose.
But on this particular occasion-this
bleak, windy day in February, when
the principal inhabitants of Pilot City
had gathered around the glowing stove
that warmed the somewhat contracted
limits of the Raftsman's home-the gaily
chatting congregation had received no
intimation OF the approach of the noun
tain desperado. Not single whoop had
he uttered as he strobe through the sigh
ing pines, not yell announcing his com
ing had been heard by the peaceful resi-
dents of Pilot City, and when the gigan
tic frame of the 'terror" darkened the
door of the home, thunder-bolt would
not have produced as much genuine sur
prise, not to call it astonished ,apprehen-
sion, in the breasts of those present, as
did the appearance of Eel River Dan.
For an instant the assemblage set petrif-
ed. Then there was a futtering move
ment, and Big Mike, the boom hand,
made a break for the rear door. The
others only waited to satisfy themselves
that Dan was "turnei loose" This i'm
portant doubt having been dissipated,
and the conclusion arrived at that the
mountaineer was in an unusual disagree
able frame of mind, the remainder of the
company withdrew-rather precipitately,
it must be confessed-but with sufficient
order and regularity to escape injury in
the crush at the side door.
As soon as the last boot heel had pass
ed over the threshold Dan smiled-it
was not a very seraphic smile, to be sure,
but notwithstanding its sardonic charac-
ter there could be no mist.kinG it for a
frown or a scowl OF dlspleasure- with
the grimace still irradiating his bloated
features the desperate passed behind the
bar. and with a freedom peculiar to his
loose habits, grasped the demijohn con-
tanning an unusually ardent article of
lumberman's solace. Throwing the jug
deftly into the hollow of his right arm,
he poured the yellow distillment into
glass which he held in his left hand. al
lowing the liquid to mark four fingers
before he threw the muzlle up and re-
turned the demijohn to its shelf beneath
the bar. He contemplated the contents
of the glass for moment, held it up to
the light, smacked his lips in anticipa-
ton of the JOY it was about to confer up.
on him, and then placed the edge of the
tumbler gingerly to his mouth as if he
would prolong the delight of feeling it
trickle down his copper plated throat in
to his sheet iron stomach. Inch by inch
his ruby nose went upward, drop by drop
| the whiskey flowed downward. The last
globule had just passed between his teeth,
when his fiery red eyes, glancing through
the bottom of the glass, fell upon an OBJ
| iect, the sight of which seemed to paraly-
za him. He could not believe his senses.
He imagined that some defect in the glass
through which he was taking his obser-
vations must have produced the vision
that greeted his gaze. 1t could not pos
sibly be the form of man standing be-
side the stove! What an ideal What NOR
tai individual would have the hardihood
to remain when he Eel River Dau, the
terror of the entire lumber region from
Mendooino TO Trinity, saw fit to enter a
place of RESORT Ah, no, it coud not be a
real living flesh and blood, human being
it was probably a straw dummy set up by
those cursed hulks that had just left, and
the insult thus offered would afford al
excuse for general cleaning out of the
whole internal town.
So he placed the glass on the bar, ant
leaning upon his elbows, leyeled his gaze
still more intently upon that dummy.
Great Caesars ghost. it moved. Was i
the wind swaying a bundle of clothes
stuffed with straw? Or was it-By tht
boom that swings over the river Jordan
Never before, during a career checkere(
by almost daily surprises, Eel River Dal
ever experienced such sudden shock o
astonishment. For ten seconds by tn
bar room clock he was powerless, speech
, less, well nigh hfeless. Then he raise,
: his hands to his face, and leaned hi
cheeks upon them while he studied til
apparition beside the stove.
1t was little mana hollow chestej
cavern checked, mild eyed, meek looking
man. Pity had never been a distinguish
ing trait in the composition OF Dan's M
. ture, but as he gazed upon this ragged
5 forlorn- looking being feeling akin t
I sympathy began to usurp the place {
surprise in his breast, and it was IN
5 tone almost tinged with kindness that /
j. addressed the sickly vagrant.
: ''Bin var long2"
; "Eh?"
; The reply sounded like the gurgling
d blood through the sink-pipes of dissec