Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-11-02

fine features, you were quick to offer me
lesson awhile since Are you as ready to
take one yourself at this meeting? How is
it you have outraged my friend and your
better?"
Let them alone, yer honor!" interposed
the card-sharper, approaching. lis tie
cause for the both One was hit by a bottle,
the other grounded by a fist. Can't we have
a trihe o fun with a hawbuck without in
references? Faith, the bullock man shall
have my sword, an We'll see which is the
better carver! III back him, too, an We
may back yer friend the popinjay, whose one
merit lies in not knowing when he's well
beaten. Come, nowl we'll to the Kalchook
Hill Ia small elevation near the Collect, a
freshwater pond, which was on the site of
the present tombs. The gallows used for
military execution stood between it and the
Fields, or present City Hall park, an have
it out. I'll"
"What! you villain you! you low thief!
Get hence, or I'll scalp you" interrupted
Scammell turning on him. "kalchook
Hill, you dog! You would never 60 so near
the gallows on your own free will"
"Gallows, is it?" returned the fellow, still
holding his ground. Il tell We, Scammell
capting though ye be, We are ripper for the
Callows than am l., an this I'll back in any
way We name"
Scammell, instead of falling on the fell
low in fury, an act looked for, snapped
his fingers in his face, and with a look
measuring him from head to foot replied
Contemptuously:
"You dirty dog! Mighty brave you are
in the knowledge that kings officer would
ne'er cross swords with such scum. III give
you one minute to be gone, and, failing, I'll
4.
SO WELL you know twill be done" And with
this he turned his back on the sharper, who,
far from obeying the hint to leave, stepped
away but few PAGES.
"And now, my wild sea bird" said the
tory redirectng his attention to me, care
you willing to clear yourself with my
friend here? Give fair explanation Of
this affair If you can, or perhaps you would
Ike to make a fine point of the matter with
me in some quiet spoe. | might doubt my
rights to honorably cross swords with such
as you in matter as private as this, but |
will forego all objections and ask no terms.
All! but you have an excuse; you will doubt
less plead a wound"
The deep insolence of his last remark
turned my dislike of the man to a sudden
hatred. Twas not the words, but his more
than unbearable manner of uttering them
that reused my ire and brought me to the
pitch of action. Had he been nearer, |
would have served hirA with my fist as had
served Lounsbury, and would have re-
gretted it at once for its lack of dignity.
Forgetting for the moment my assumed role,
! stood where he had found me, and an
swered:
Capt. Scammell, my calling is the sea.
You are but a marauding bushwhacker, nor
Il , IL
hidden by fine trappings, and did you but
know it you would be honored by crossing
swords with me. As for an explanation, l
will satisfy you so far as to say that pun
shed your friend for insulting me, and, by
the God above me- if you wish to carry this
further, | will punish you worse than did
him! | could but defend myself from him,
q boy whose back l could break across my
knee, so he goes harmless. As for you, will
fight you within the hour and ask for no
second"
Good" he broke in. "You gave the name
to the weapon. Let it be swords, and at
once. Remember" he went on with an
oath, and working himself into rage, TASK
no quarter OF me. Up or down | give no
mercy; let Poutrance be the word"
"Nay," said i, famed to an equal heat by
his blood-thirsty manner and the fury in
his eye-"nay, then, l will not kill you, vii
lain as you are, but, should l disarm you, or
you slip, will beat you with the fiat of my
sword until you roar for quarter, or break
every bone in your foul hide! Twill be
scant mercy, as you were better killed out
right. Now look to it, for this / will do, or
MY name is not tThorn-Lounsbury"
l caught myself just in time and started
violently as | discovered the trip of my
Roth tho ntb barS 1ta,y-isa n
jump, but it Immediately transpired that
each had different cause.
1t was Scammell who first showed his rea-
Son for thus starting, and that was through
the insult | had offered him in degrading him
by threatened beating. White with rage,
he threw aside the bride, and drawing his
heavy saber, advanced on me with torrent
of oaths.
Before | could do more than whip my left
arm out OF its sling and lift the bulky table
in defense (for l was unarmed), the young
officer sprang between us.
"Hold hard, Scammell! bloomsbury Are
you Capt. Lounsbury? Lounsbury, of Rye?
BY my faith but | came near making
bull OF it!-This thing can go no further
now, Scammell. I've been looking for the
man high and low for week. Clinton wants
him at once-at once The order comes
from headquarters. what, man! Hold
hard!"
Hold hard YOURSELF" shouted the tory,
as he tried to dodge the young officer. 'No
further now! Do you think III brook such
words to my face and wait for formalities?
Ay, Lounsbury it is; and of Rye and the
phantom and the devil, for aught | care!
What can Clinton want with such a man?
Stand aside, you salt fish, and let me meet
him."
"Call me no fish, you butcher-bird"
snapped Belden. What ails your humor
to-day? Has the heat gotten your head?
You first pick my own quarrel away from
me, and then flout me for looking to my own
interests. Has the fair Gertrude hipped
you, that you spleen so quickly? tell you
my orders are imperative"
80 Fore God, you sprat! An you dare
twit me in public on my private affairs"
shouted the tory, turning his wrath on the
naval officer. "Use but her name again, and