The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-08-02
CHAPTER XIV.
THE PLUME HUNTERS DINNET,
PARTY.

80 - ~ = ~ III
PARTY.
The one eyed man, Billy Mutt. and his
friend and partner. Who's name was
apparently Hank. without further at
~tachn1ent, made a livelihood by trans
crossing the laws of the United States
and supplying a strong demand Ladies'
of society wished for egret plumes and
other feathers for external adornmert,
and the Seminole of the Everglades
desired corn whisky for his stomach's
sake. and white game regulations for
pade collection of the first. IL !ian's pro-
lection acts vetoed lawful distribution
or the second. And for the transgreS-
sor there were distinct and heavy pen
alties.
But, to begin with. States Jaw q. -
not cary very far in the E.vcrgl,: IS OF
FLORIDA, which is the home of .utllws,
ana IN the second place MIR. Nutt an 4
friend We're both wanted" ON several
coun already. among wnlch unt(stid-
able homicide ranked high. so that they
We're ire entirely reckless and Inclined
to look upon f aching and Illicit whisky
pedllng TO the aboriginal as the mildest
Of mild peccadillocs. Moreover. as i'm
maintenance OF their business they were
extremely Wei armed and apt to shoot
trst and reflect afterward when an
noyed, they We're not persons to be
argued with by any Of the more gentle
methods.
The three men on the steamer We're in
no way prepared to receive these du-
plo:is Nlsltors-were, i'm fact, completely
~oblivious of their approach, being still
chained in the deepest slumber. The
sun had dropped below the tree tops,
&nd already the night noises of the
lcrest We're beginning-the rattle of
crlckets and toads in the trees, the
grunting of the bullfrog in the swamp.
the dry rustic OF the jar dies and the
warm NINA nf tho pn,vny e1A-..;,-. -.
squlto. In the darker tree aisles there
commenced the brief light snappings of
Ereflies, and in tine black Swallowed
water of the bayous We're other phos-
phorescent glows, like these, only COM
ing from the eyes of some prowling al
liGator.
The sloop ran down her tibtopsail.
and as the iron hanks screamed along
the stay Il negro trotted nimbly ONT
along the fiat boWsprit top to secure the
sail in its gaskets. The vino was drop
ping with the sun, and because the cur
rent raced manfully down the blight
where the stranded steamer was lying
the sloop made but a fataom or so to
the good by every board across the
river. The one eyed man danced a
a barefoot tattoo of fury on the floor
boards of the cockpit at this slowness.
and his loose limbed partner, who still
sprawled OF the cabin roof, chuckIed
III llC DIceLo
held long enough for their purpose.
they ran up above the steamer, and the
stream ground their planking against
streaked iron. A pair of davit
falls hung down, with the blocks weed
covered in with water. and o~verhauling
one OF these they made it fast round
the bits. Then, swarlming UP the other
fall. the whole five of them gained the
bridge deck above.
1nstinctively when once their feet
We're on the warm gray planks each
man. black L white, handled his
weapon ready to fight any one, as
might be demanded Of him, but no one
appeared to seek explanation Of their
presence. n from starting about
them they took to staring at one an
other'rathe foolishly. II one has been
expecting a brisk game. of murder, and
one, meets with empty silence, it rather
spoils the sequence of ideas.
Come to think Of it." said Hank in
an oppressive whisper. IF there'd been
anchor watch. they'd have hailed us
before we got this far. 1 bet the old
mans asleep in the harthouse
'Twouldn't be a bad idea to bottle him"
CONTINUED Next Week.)