The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1903-10-15
Yes" Lumpy responded, raising his

W. NhS" SohaRss LILO
voice was a shout.
THAT'S done. then. But no apollo
gies en- make a gent out Of ye, an
don't drink 'cept with gents. So clear
out. Get scramble on yerself. an
keep yer 'ands up"
L.impv. his hands held rigidly hcav-
anward. rose ana passed crt into the
street. When he had disappeared. Us
Texan laid the two revolvers ON the
table. one on either side of the do,
Then lie addressed the company:
That dawg stays right there. yc
bet. Name yer pizen, Ssnis."
Outside Lumpy relieved his feelings
by some cultural oaths and set cut 70:
the worst drinking hole in town.
where he knew he could find the as
sistance he wished. There he held Il
whispered conversation with Scratch
es, a burly desperado whose face had
been slashcl by bowie. Ills last
words 10 this ru.iian were:
"Take the Kld with yc. lie amt so
scary to look ut as ye be-"
In the saloon the chair vacated ly
Lumpy had remained empty. Tic
crowd had a superstition against that
scat, but rs It was the only Cmr.y
chair in the room it w,s natural tia,
when two late comcrS entered Cue
should seat himself there white IT,
other half leaned. half sat on the IT,
llc beside it. one of these two was
Scratches: the other, a young, rather
winsomc faced man, was the Kid.
Buuts, now jovially drunk, but in
possession OF all his faculties, demand.
cd that they drink his health and ,-.t
Of RckCts. He waved his hand in IN
PRODUCTION toward the pup. which row
showed signs Of excess, for h2 sWIycd
Il little, aad his red eyes blinked heav
.iy.
lie is q cute one" said the Kid
pleasantly,
Scratches grlnned eviily and put out
his hand to pat the pup. Ricl;cts show
ed his appreciation by snort and
snap that brought Il howl Of pain from
Scratches.
playful amt he?" Bunts exclaimed
and roared with laughter Scratches
scowled, but controlled himself after
moment and tried to smile.
But the Kid speedily ingratlated him
self with both Bunts and Rickets, pat
ting the dog without hurt, to his mas
ters delight.
Interest in the stranger was now
waning Some of the men left the sa-
loon and in the course Of half an hour
Scratches was able to possess himself
Of the third chair. At this juncture
the Kid insisted that the stranger
should drink at his expense.
"rhreew he called to the barkeepcr.
In moment the drinks were on the
table The Kid seized one glass and
passed it to Bunts.
There's yer liquor." he cried cor
daily. Drink hearty"
But the devoted Bunts could not for
get his duty to Rickets. He delayed 4
moment TO set his glass before the dog.
''Take pull, Ricketts," he urged.
The swaying dog picked up his ears
at the smell of the spirits and dropped
his nose into the glass. His greedy
tongue darted once into the whisky
and was withdrawn into his mouth.
Once and only once-that taste was
enough. Rickets stopped swaying, ana
his eyes opened wide. Then he turned
and stared reproachfully ut Bunts and
whned
'Now, that's the most curtis thing
ever secd.' the Texan exclaimed.
"Nevcr knew i'm TO turn up is nose
before at good liquor. He's sick, that's
what"
There was a minutes silence, while
Bunts sat eying the dog solcitously.
Then suddenly an idea came to him,
and he laughed pleasantly. The next
instant his hands fell on the revolvers,
and in trice both men were covered.
"Put up yer 'ands!' he cried for the
second time that night.
The crowd, startled, looked up and
saw Scratches and the Kid, their hands
alOft, staring fearfully into the deadly
tubes. Then Bunts, now almost sober
under the stimulus Of his idea, ad-
dressed the two:
"Yere Il nice pair of galOots! Strolled
In ere with the plan Of dosin' me with
Knockout drops an then walkin' out
with me an then gOin' through me!
Eth? Huh! Well, I guess yed "a work.
ed 1t If it hadn't been for Rickets, bless
is little heart! didn't tumble to yer
skin game. an Id "a swallowed yer
dope. but Ricketts, amt no such fool!
One taste of them knockout drops was
enough fer i'm"
But Scratches had rcgained his nerve
and now burst forth in prOtestations.
ITS u lie. There amt no knockout
drops in that whisky Of yers. ] swear
It,"
"Be ye sure?' questioned Bunts sar-
castically.
ITS gospel truth I'm tellin' ye"
"Well," Bunts retOrted. I'll believe
the dawg quicker n I'll believe any