Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-11-10
He twirled the rife faster. Nobody

goin' to make you fellers obey me. A
bullet goes plum into the head Of
the first man as moves without my
say so. Dye hear?"
1--WE hear" said John quietly. "All
the same, Hugh, I'd quit this foolin'
If I was you"
shut up yer mouth
John shut his mouth, almost with
a snap. And then saw that grim
fixity of purpose upon his face, which
is no more to be mistaken or ignored
than the first warning Of the rattle
snake poised for his deadly stroke.
I'm the king, amt I, Charlie?"
Sure" said Charlie.
I'm the king, boys, amt I? An
swer--every mothers son of ye!"
We answered solemnly: you're the
king, Hugh
"I own this sheebang-hey?" he
addressed the boss.
Looks like it."
THAT bein' so, I mean to choose
my comp'ny. I've nothin' agen you.
boys" he addressed my brother and
me. You sit right there, an make
yourselves to home. But you," he
turned furious eyes on our host, you
swine, you've made it hot for me
more'n once. Stan up!'
The boss rose slowly.
Now march! Skin out O. this
an don't come back tonight! I'm
a-goin ter sleep in yer bed, wear yer
pyjamas and play I'm you. Git"
The boss marched out Of the room.
John and Charlie-stan' up!"
The foreman and his brother stood
I'D. One could see the sinews be-
meath the skin rigid with rage and
humiliation. The bead Of the rifle
covered first one, then the other.
1.-The bacon and beans didn't suit
We yesterday" said Hugh, playing
with the trigger. "An' las Sunday,
when I overslep' myself, both Of we
made remarks, insultin' remarks.
Now, down you go, on yer knees
an apologize. Quick
NO." said John quietly. "Shoot
an be d-d!"
Hugh didn't shoot, but he laughed
loudly. John, old socks, ye've a
nerve. Well, you two skip out! An
don't come back! If we do, by the
living Jing', I'll bore a hole through
We. Git"
They got.
Three cowboys were left. Hugh
eyed them reflectively.
pore white trash" he said slowly.
You amt fit to associate with me
an these yere genlmen. Mosey!"
They mosied.
Hold on! Don't forget to shet
the door! Me an these gen'lmen air
a-goin' to whoop things up bit, un-
derstan'? We may paint this shee-
bang a pale shrimp pink before we
quit And we don't want to be dis
turbed-see? Make that plain to the
boss and John. Because II one o
them doors moves I sha'n't wait to
ask who's pushin' 1t, but I propose
ter fire-through it. See? That's all.
The cowboys went out, carefully
closing the door. There were no Win
dows, for the doors in the daytime
served as such. Hugh laughed, star
ing hard at me.
Say" he began, II heard that son
of a gun tell you to hide the demi-
John, and I saw where you hid It.
Come on, let's celebrate! I'll stand
here and watch them doors. One
must be keerful. You drink first
boys. Take a good wad-with my
regards"
1t seemed expedient to humor him
especially as by so doing we gained
possession of the whisky. I was put
ting the demijohn to my lips when
! heard Hugh say sharply:
"Jeeroosalem!"
When 1 looked up both doors were
wide open. They opened outward
Hugh glared fercely through each In
turn into the void beyond. Nobody
could be seen.
At once I realized what was about
to happen. The men had armed
themselves, and would have as little
hesitation in shooting down this rebel
as in killing a cur that had snapped
at them. The expedience of taking
up a position on the floor occurred
to me.
The room was small With the
best wish in the world not to injure
us these cowboys must take that risk
if the shooting began.
"Will you surrender, Hugh?" John
spoke.
Surrender? He'll"
A figure, pistol in hand, fitted
across the open door; Hugh raised
his rifle. Another figure appeared al
the opposite door. He turned swiftly;
the figure slipped out Of sight. This
happened half a dozen times with
uncanny monotony. Then Hugh said
to US:
Don't be scared, boys; and sit
where ye are!"
Obviously Hugh had enough wit to
perceive that the men outside might
be slow to shoot so long as we sat In
the line of fire. But If this mailman
began the battle, what then?
Afterward three excellent ways of
escape occurred to me; at the time,
however, my mind seemed blank. We
sat perfectly still.
Then the unexpected happened.
Hugh was standing between two
open doors, and the autumn wind
blew in upon him.
Charlie" he shouted. "Oh' Char
lie!"
An invisible Charlie answered qui-
city:
What is 1t, Hugh?"
"I want my coat, dye hear? Fetch
me my coat"
"Why, certainly" said Charlie.
l wondered whether he would obey
this queer order. 1t might so easily
prove a ruse to get an open shot at
an enemy.
IL In he