Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-04-12


caught myself just in time, and started
violently as / discovered the trip of my
tongue. Both the others likewise gave a
jump, but it Immediately transpirsd that
each had different cause.
1t was Scammeh who first showed his rea-
son for thus starting and that was through
the insult 1 had offered him in degrading him
by threatened beating. White with rage,
he threw aside the bride, and drawing his
heavy sabsr, 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 was unarmsd), the young
officer sprang between US.
"Hold hard, Scammell! bloomsbury Are
you Capt. Lounsbury? Lounsbury, Of Rysf
By my faith! but I came near making a
bull OF it!-This thing can 60 no further
now, Scammell. I've been looking for the
man high and low for week. Clinton wants
him at once-at oncel The order comes
from headquarters. What, man! Hold
hard!"
"Hold hard YOURSELF" shouted the tory,
as he tried to dodge the young officer. mo
further now! Do you think I'll brook such
words to my face and wait for formalities!
Ay, Lounsbury it is; and Of Rye and the
phantom and the devil, for aug6t I care!
What can Clinton want with such aman?
Stand aside, you salt fish, and let me meet
him!"
Call me no fish, you butcher-birdl"
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 fout me for looking to my own
interests. Has the fair Gertrude hipped
you, that you spleen SO quickly? / tell you
my orders are imperative"
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
III spit you az you stand, you half mani
how! Will you, too, fght?"
Stung by his words, and more than stuns
by the reference to his short stature, Bel
den had whipped out the sword he had
sheathed and thrown himself int the
| fencer's attitude.
"Eghts Ay, I'll fight! Put aside that
| show you that half man is better than q
whole brute. Ny wrist is as fine Is yours
for all your Drawn"
That Scammel's blood had o'ercome hil
brain was plainly apparent by the way hs
threw his heavy saber to the ground and
! ran toward the card-sharper. But that fell
low, anticipating his wants, brought up ths
| point Of the weapon which he still held,
/ and presenting it at the breast of the on.
conner, retreated few steps and cried out:
NAY, nay! Ye shall not have it. Settle
yer brawl ~ best ye may, but my sword il
mine, an with me it shall bids. By the look
| Of it, ye must settle with the three of US
| Pull out O the pickle, an ye can; ye shall
! ha' no help or steel O. me"
Now while this was going on / had moi
been idle with either brain or body. I saw
at once that Lounsbury had become per
sonage of Importance, and that he was UNI
/, known to Clinton by sight. That something
i of moment was On hand was also discovered
! and it evidently lay in my power to thwar,
i the matter and confound the British. Al
/ the same time, it would probably spread
! open path for me to leave the city, and
| possibly in some manner show me way tx
lay hands on my gold. It was fair ohano,
TO act upon, and I could in no wise let harm
come to the young sailor until knew NOR
or had been piloted on my way.
This was with my head. With my body
simply moved to where lay Scammell'
saber, and picked it up.
As did so, the baff1ed officer turned ant
saw the action. Fooled at every point, ant
now unarmed and comprised BY thre'
I armed men, he swore and fumed like bait
ed animal.
saw the folly Of his total loss of temper
for had he not parted with it he neve
would have been placed in his present posi
ton. He had quarreled and well-nigh Tough
/, with three men in as many minutes, Will,
his blind fury had brought him to where b
was worsted and degraded at once.
As he stood there, too proud to retrea
and unable to advance, he glanced hastil,
in every direction. In his desperation b.
was doubtless looking for his horse and hi
pistols in the holsters, and had he foun,
them there would have been bloodshed
But his high-spirited animal, frightened q
| my act of swinging aloft the table and tn
! shouts that followed, had tossed up heat
and tail at once and gone galloping from tn
yard, now being nowhere in sight.
And thus. we stood for perhaps the spao
of half a minute (though it seemed longer)
while at distance gathered number VIII
, Lad been drawn hither by the noise Of tn
ment for Scammell, but Belden finally pu
period to the matter, and opened a way fo
the tory to retreat. Slipping the point o
down with ring, and cried:
"Avast, all hands! We're nothing shor
Of pack of fools Each of u has had
thrust at his neighbor, and each in tur
has stood between two others. IT'S tn
prettiest muss ever saw, so d-n me
Twas all beginnings and devil of an ending
Let's make it up.-Coms, Scammell 20,
might we'll go halfway to meet half man
By my faith, that's not bad.-Lounsbury
I was bullock myself, and ask pardon TO
the bottle. So there's my sop.-Who'
next?"
Now my heart warns t. man who
quick to take fire, whose wrath is like tn
touch of match to gunpowder, the fore
cf which is gone when its work is done; jus
as I hate the sullen spirit of one who nurse
the last spark and sulAs until its heat die
for lack of tanning.
Il The generosity of the boy-for he wa
little elss-struck home to me, and wa
about offering my hand, when Scanned
quick to take advantage of the turn of a
fairs, spoke up:
$50 let it be if you say 30, Beldsnl ar
overhot from the ride from the outer line
at Kingsbridge. I'll willingly pass you an
yon Misunderstanding the trickster wit
jerk of his head-"but I'll not be quit
with your new protege save but for the tim
you need him. If Clinton wants him, r
spare him the while to do his dirty work, 70
on honorable matters he would ne'er smplo
such man while his betters go begging
How now, sirrah?" he continued, turnin
and advancing toward me. "You are gls
enough to accept the respite, doubt moi
Will you name time and place to receiv
, your deserts"
lis against my nature to duel in col
blood; but, a. my word il passed, I'll carr
through my promise. Where do you pu
up?"
u "a The Kings AEns, trueklsr"
Z, sAA ~ N v - = ~ ~ n