Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1893-01-14

pin him by the two arms; or if thatll
not hold, sir, we can make a run by
both the doors and get him under hand
before he has the time to draw"
At this hearing / was seized with both
fear and anger at these treacherous,
greedy, bloody men that l sailed with.
Ny first mind was to run away; my
second was bolder.
Captain" said l, "the gentleman is
seeking a dram and the bottles out.
Will you give me the keyf"
They all started and turned about.
"Why, here's our chance to get the
frearmsr' Riach cried; and then to me,
"Hark ye, David" he said, "do ye ken
where the pistols are?'
AYE, aye" put in Hoseason. ''David
kens. David's good lad. Ye see,
David, my man, yon wild Hielandman
is danger to the ship, besides being q
rank foe to King George. God bless
himH
had never been so be-Davided since /
came on board, but said yes, as if all l
heard were quite natural.
"that all our firelocks-great and little
are in the roundhouse under this mans
nose; likewise the powder. Now if or
one of the officers was to go in and take
them he would fall to thinking. But q
lad like you, David, might snap up q
horn and a pistol or two without re-
mark. And il ye can do it cleverly I'll
bear it in mind when it'll be good for
you to have friends, and that's when we
come to Carolina"
Here Mr.. Riach whispered him little.
Very right, sir" said the captain,
and then to myself, "And see here,
David, yon man mas beltful of gold,
and give you my word that you shall
have your fingers in it"
| told him that would do as he
wished, though indeed l had scarce
breath to speak with, and upon that
he gave me the key of the spirit
locker, and began to go slowly
back to the roundhouse. What
was l to do? They were dogs and
thieves; they had stolen men from my
own country; they had killed poor Ran
some, and was l to hold the candle to
another murder? But then, upon the
other hand, there was the fear of death
very plain before me, for what could
boy and man, if they were as brave as
lions, against whole ships company?
was still arguing it back and forth
and getting no great clearness when
came into the roundhouse and saw the
Jacobite eating his supper under the
lamp, and at that my mind was made up
ali in moment. have no credit by it:
it was by no choice of mine, but as if by
compulsion, that walked right up to
the table and put my hand on his shoul
der.
do We want to be killed." said l.
He sprang to his feet and looked u
question at me as clear as If he had
spoken.
"Ohl" cried |, "they're all murderers
here; it's ship full of them! They've
murdered boy already. Now it's you. "
AYE, ave." said he, "but they haven't
got me yet" And then looking at me
curiously, "Will ye stand with me?"
THAT will Il" said l. lam no thief,
nor yet murderer. I'll stand by YOU"
"Why, them" said he, whats your
manner"
David Balfour." said l, and then
thinking that man with so fine coat
must like fine people l added for the
first time, "of Shaws."
1t never occurred to him to doubt me,
for a highlander is used to see great
gentlefolk in great poverty, but as he
had no estate of his own my words net
tied a very childish vanity he had.
"My name is Stewart" he said, draw
ing himself up. "Alan Breck, they call
me. A kings name is good enough for
me, though bear it plain and have the
name of no farm hidden to clap to the
hind end of it."
And having administered this rebuke,
as though it were something of chief
Importance, he turned to examine our
| defenses.
The roundhouse was built very strong
to support the breachings Of the seas.
OF its five apertures. only the skylight
and the two doors were large enough for
the passage of man. The doors besides
could be drawn close; they were OF stout
oak and ran in grooves, and were fitted
with hooks to keep them either shut OF
open, as the need arose. The one that
was already shut l secured in this
fashion, but when was proceeding to
slide to the other Alan stopped me.
david" said he-"for cannae bring
to mind the name of your landed estate,
and SO will make so bold as call you
David-that door, being open, is the
best part of my defenses."
sit would be yet better shut" says l.
"Not so, David" says he. "Ye see, l
have but one face, but so long as that
door is open and my face to it. the best
part of my enemies will be in front OF
me, where l would aye wish to find
| them"
Then he gave me from the rack cut
lass, of which there were few besides
the firearms, choosing it with great
care, shaking his head and saying he
had never in all his life seen poorer
weapons; and next he set me dcwn to
| ,x,.Ab N ,,ov-dar hOrY, a hnU Of