Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-02-28

| ! stood where he had found me, and an
swered:
Capt. Scammell, luy calling is the sea.
You are but marauding bushwhacker, nor
can the curse be rubbed off you by title or
hidden by fine trappngs, and did you but
know 1t you would be honored by crossing
swords with me. As for an explanation,
will satisfy you SO far as to say that pun
ished 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! I could but defend myself from him,
a boy whose back could break across my
knee, 30 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 I give no
mercy; let a poutrance be the word"
/ Nay" said l, 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 / 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 Thorn-Lounsbury!
caught myself just in time, and started
violently as l discovered the trip of my
tongue. Both the others likewise gave a
Jump, but it Immediately transpred that
each had different cause.
4 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.
arm out of its sling and lift the bulky table
in defense (for was unarmed), the young
! officer sprang between us.
"Hold hard, Scammell! -Lounsbury Are
you Capt. Lounsbury? Lounsbury, of Rye?
by my faith! but l 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 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 aught carel
! What can Clinton want with such man?
| Stand aside, you salt fish, and let me meet
him!"
"Call me no fish, you butcher-bird!"
snapped Belden. what ais 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
I'll spit you as you stand, you half a man!
How! Will you, too, fght?"
Stung by his words, and more than stung
by the reference to his short stature, Bel
den had whipped out the sword he had
| sheathed and thrown himself into the
fencer's attitude.
Eight? Ay, I'll fight! Put aside that
meat ak and use gentlemans tool. I'll
show you that half q man is better than
whole brute. My wrist is as fine as yours,
for all your Drawn"
That Scammells blood had o'ercome his
brain was plainly apparent by the way he
threw his heavy saber to the ground and
ran toward the card-sharper But that fell
low, anticipating his wants, brought up the
point of the weapon which he still held,
and presenting it at the breast of the on.
conner, retreated a few steps and cried out:
NAY, nay! Ye shall not have it. Settle
yer brawl as best We may, but my sword is
| of it, We must settle with the three of us.
Pull out O. the pickle, an We can; We shall
ha' no help or steel O me"
Now while this was going on had not
been idle with either brain or body. saw
at once that Lounsbury had become per-
sonage of Importance, and that he was un-
| known to Clinton by sight. That something
of moment was on hand was also discovered,
and it evidently lay in my power to thwart
the matter and confound the British. At
the same time, it would probably spread
| open path for me to leave the city, and
possibly in some manner show me way to
lay hands on my gold. 1t was a fair chance
to act upon, and could in no wise let harm
come to the young sailor until knew more
or had been piloted on my way.
This was with my head. With my body
simply moved to where lay Scammells
saber, and picked it up.
| AS did SO, the baffled officer turned and
saw the action. Fooled at every point, and
now unarmed and comprised by three
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 never
would have been placed in his present posi-
ton. He had quarreled and well-nigh fought
with three men in as many minutes while
his blind fury had brought him to where he
was worsted and degraded at once
As he stood there, too proud to retreat
and unable to advance, he glanced hastily
in every direction. In his desperation he
was doubtless looking for his horse and his
pistols In the holsters, and had he found
them there would have been bloodshed.
But his hgh-sprited animal, frightened at
my act of swinging aloft the table and the
shouts that followed, had tossed up head
and tail at once and gone galloping from the
yard, now being nowhere in sight.
And thus we stood for perhaps the space
| of half minute Though it seemed onger),
while at distance gathered number who
| Lad been drawn hither by the noise of the
| brawl. Twas a mighty awkward predica.
ment for Scammel, but Belden finally put
period to the matter, and opened way for
the tory to retreat. Slipping the point of
his sword into it's scabbard, he thrust it
down with a ring, and cried:
"Avast, all hands! We're nothing short
Of pack of fools. Each of us has had
thrust at his neighbor, and each in turn
has stood between two others. IT'S the
prettiest muss | ever saw, SO d--n mel
Twas all beginnings and devil of an ending.