Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-03-04
/ where 'ud | be ?"

NucIC ud De.
SILVER" said the other man-and
l observed he was not only red in the
face, but spoke as hoarse as n crow, and
his voice shook, too, like taut rope
Silver" says he, you're old, and
you're honest, or has the name for it;
and you've money, too, which lots of
poor sailors hasn't; and you're brave,
or I'm mistook. And will you tell me
you'll let yourself be led away with
that kind of a mess of swabs? not you'll
AS sure as God sees me, I'd sooner lose
my hand. If turn again my dooty-"
And then all of sudden he was inter-
rupted by noise. | had found one of
the honest hands-well, here, at that
same moment, came news of another.
Far away out in the marsh there arose,
all of sudden, u sound like the cry of
anger, then another on the back. of it;
and then one horrid, long-drawn
scream. The rocks of the Spy-glass re-
echoed it score of times; the whole
troop of marsh-birds rose again, dark
ening heaven, with simultaneous
whir; and long after that death yell
was still ringing in my brain, silence
had reestablished it's empire, and only
the rustic of the redescending birds
and the boom of the distant surges dis
turbed the languor of the afternoon.
Tom had leaped at the sound, like a
horse at the spur; but Silver had not
winked an eye. He stood where he
was, resting lightly on his crutch,
watching his companion like snake
about to spring.
"John!" said the sailor, stretching
out his hand.
Hands off" cried Silver, leaping
back a yard, as it seemed to me, with
the speed and security of a trained
gymnast.
Hands off, if you like, John Silver"
said the other. Its black conscience
that can make you feared of me. But,
in Heavens name, tell me what was
that?"
"That?' returned Silver, smiling
away, but warier than ever, his eye a
mere pin-point in his big face, but
cleaning like a crumb of glass.
THAT? Oh, reckon that'll be Alan"
And at this poor Tom flashed out like
hero.
"Alan!" he cried. "Then rest his
soul for true seaman! And as for
you, John Silver, long you've been a
mate of mine, but you're mate of mine
no more. Ii l die like dog, I'll die in
my dooty. You've killed Alan, have
you? Kill me, too, if you can. But I
defes you"
And with that, this brave fellow
turned his back directly on the cook,
and set off walking for the beach. But
he was not destined to go far. With a
cry, John seized the branch of tree,
whipped the crutch out OF his armpit,
and sent that uncouth missile hurting
through the air. 1t stuck poor Tom
point foremost, and with stunning
violence, right between the shoulders
in the middle of his back. His hands
| flew up, he gave sort of gasp, and
| fell.
| Whether he was injured much or
| little none could ever tell. Like enough,
to judge from the sound. his back was
broken on the spot, but he had no time
given him to recover. Silver, agile as
a monkey, even without leg or crutch,
was on the top of him the next moment
and had twice buried his knife up to the
hilt in that defenseless body From my
place of ambush could hear him pant
loudly as he struck the blows.
do not know what it rightly is to
faint, but I do know that for the next
little while the whole world swan
away from before me in a whirling
mist; Silver and the birds and the tall
Spy-glass hilltop, going round and
round and topsy turvy before my eyes
and all manner of bells ringing and dis
tant voices shouting in my ears.
When came again to myself, the
monster had pulled himself together
his crutch under his arm, his hat upon
his head. Just before him Tom lay
motionless upon the sward; but the
murderer minded him not a whit
cleansing his blood-stained knife the
while upon whisp of grass. Every
thing else was unchanged, the sun still
shining mercilessly on the steaming
marsh and the tall pinnacle of the noun.
tain, and could scarce persuade my.
self that murder had actually beer
done, and human life cruelty cut
short moment since before my eyes
But now John put his hand into his
pocket, brought out whistle, and blew
upon it several modulated blasts, that
rang far across the heated air. I coult
not tell, of course, the meaning of thu
signal, but it instantly awoke my Tears
More men would be coming. Il might
be discovered. They had already slain
two of the honest people; after Ton
and Alan, might not come next?
Instantly began to eXtricate myself
and crawl back again, with what speed
and silence could manage, to the more
open portion of the wood. AS i did so
l could hear halls coming and going be
tween the old buccaneer and his com
rades, and this sound of danger lent mt
wings. AS soon as / was clear of the
thicket l ran as l never ran before
scarce minding the direction of m,
fight, SO long as it led me fro1a the muir
derers; and as l ran, fear grew ant
grew upon me, until it turned into
kind of frenzy.
Indeed, could anyone be more entire
| ly lost than [? When the gun fired
how should dare go down to the boat
among those tiends, still smoking iron
their crime? Would not the first O
them who saw me wiring my neck ik
a snipe's? Would not my absence itsel
be an evidence to them of my alarm
and therefore of my fatal knowledge