The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-02-07

allowing for his bodily weakness, more
violent than ever. He had an alarming
way now when he was drunk Of draw
ing his cutlass and laying 1t bare be-
fore him on the table. But, with$al
that, he minded people less, and seemed
shut up In his own thoughts and rather
wandering. Once, for instance, to our
extreme wonder. he piped up to a dir
ferent air, q kind of country low song,
that he must have earned in his youth
before he had begun to follow the sea.
So things passed until, the day after
the funeral, and about 8 o'clock OF a
bitter. foggy, frosty afternoon, I was
standing at the door for a moment, full
of sad thoughts aboutgmy father, when
/ saw some one drawing slowly near
along the road. He was plainly blind,
for he tapepd before him with a stick,
land wore q great green shade over hist
eyes and nose; and he was hunched, as
If with age or weakness, and wore a
huge old tattered sea,cloak with a hood
that made him appear positively de-
dreadful looking figure. He stopped a
little from the inn, n raising his
voice in an odd sing-song, addressed
the air in front Of him:
Will any kind friend inform a Door
blind man, who has lost the precious
sight of his eyes in the gracious de-
Tense of his native country, England,
I 81 Nou plSSS j WIlcIGt ONI
IN what part Of this country lie may
now be?
you are at the Admiral Benbow,
Black Hill Cove, my good man." said l..
II e q voice." said he, "a young,
voice. VIII you give me you hand.
my kind friend, and lead me IMP"
1 held out my hand, n the horrible.
s~oft-speken. eyeless creature gripped 1T
in a moment like a wise. I was so much
startled that l struggled to withdrawn
but the blind man pulled me close up tor
him with a single action of his arm.
Now. boy" he said, take me in to,
the captain.
Sir" said I, upon my word I dare.
not"
oh" he sneered, that's It! Take
me In straight, or I'll break your arm"
He gave 1t, as he spoke, a wrench that
made me cry out.
Sir" said I, ut is for yourself Il
mean. The captain is not what he used
to be. He sits with a drawn cutlass.
Another gentleman
Come, now. march," interrupted he:
n never heard a voice so cruel, and
cold, and ugly as that blind mans. It
cowed me more than the pain; and Il
began to obey him at once, walking
straight IN at the door and toward the
parlor. where the sick old buccaneer
was sitting. dazed with rum. The
blind man chung close to me, holding
me in with one iron fist, and leaning;
almost more Of his weight on me thanT'
could carry. Lead me straight up to-
him, and when I'm in full view cry
out: Here's a friend for ~, Bill III
you don't. TIL do this and with that
he gave me a witch that I thought:
would have made me faint. Between
this and that, I vas so utterly terri,
fed by the blind beggar that I forgot
~ " n~~Ny ~ To- $t,~ m - f&r 49, 81 ~ - u
opened the parlor door, cried out the
words he had ordered in a trembling
voice.
The poor captain raised his eyes, and
at one look the rum went out of him.,
and left him staring sober. The express
sion Of bis face was not so much Of
terror as of mortal sickness. He made
a movement to rise. but I do not be-
lieve he had enough force left in hisi
body.
Now, Bill. sit where you are" said
the beggar. IF / car see. I can hear a.
finger stirring. Business is business.
Hold out your left hand Boy, take hisI
left hand by the wrist, and bring iii
near my right"
We both obeyed him to the letter, and
saw him pass something from thet
hollow Of his hand that held his stick
into the palm Of the captains, which
closed upon 1t instantly.
And nov that's done" said the blind
man; and at the words he suddenly,
left hold of me, and, with Incredible,
accuracy M nimbleness. skipped out
Of the parlor and into the road, where,
as I stood motionless. I could zeal his!
stick go tap-tap-tapping into the dis
lance.
1t was some time before either I or
the captain seemed to gather our
senses: but at length, and about he
same moment, I released his wrist.
which I was still holding, and he drew
In his hand, and looked sharply into
the palm.
Ter o'clock!" he cried. six hours.
Well do them yet and he sprung to
his feet.
Even as he did so, he reeIed, put his
hand to his throat, stood swaying for
a moment, and then, with O. peculiar
sound, fell from his whole. height face
foremost to the floor.
I ran to him at once. calling my
mother. But haste was all in vain.
The captain had been struck lead by
laundering apoplexy. 1t Is a curious
thing to understand, for I had certain
~ never liked the man, though Of late
I had begun to pity him, but as soon
as I saw that he was dead, burst into
O flood of tears. 1t was the second
death I had known, Inc the sorrow Of
the first was still fresh in my heart.
CHAPTER w.
THE SEA CHEST.
I lost no time, of course, in telTfnA
my mother all that I knew, and perhaps