The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-08

y Imerf1tnenI, 9S might DeIdlI. ft..'t.
Say, cap" said the long man as ne
dallied with his last strawberry tartlet,
isn't 1t SO that you've got this fine
steamboat OF yours ballasted with
sovereigns?"
TITS So" said Kettle. "or something
i very like that"
| your own?"
"oh. Lord, no. Just freight consign-
ed to New Orleans and brought here
by that blowup was telling you about
suppose that you gentlemenll have no
objection to bearing hand aboard ONE
Il now you are here? I'm bit short man
ned, and it'd be pity to let freight
like that rust for want OF lingering"
Hank grinned at his vis-a-vis and
then turned to the little skipper in the
swivel chair NO" he said, II don't
see there's anything wrong with that,
but I'm afraid If I'VE chipped In we
couldn't sign on so far as Moo Orleans"
| New Orleans be sugared!" cried
Captain Kettle. Haven't spoke plain
enough already? Don't you under
\ stand all this racket's a blessed swindle
The steamers going to have the name
plate on her engine altered, and the
label on her stern changed, and q diff
ferent pattern painted on her smoke
stacks, and coat Of gray clapped on
i her, outside. And then-then, when
! she's so bedeviled her own builder
wouldn't know her, we'll run her round
to some South American port where
the least number of questions win be
asked and sell her for what she'll fetch.
| But only the steamer, mark you.
reckon she's carried the freight far
enough. That'l be struck out OF her
| here" a
You bet" said Matt, rubbing his
hands. Wen corral the dollars for
you right here till you come back. You
\ shall have our niggers to s--stoke for
you IL you can get 'em and can manage
'em. But they're fair toughs. Perhaps
| you'd w-w-eaken when you came to
know 'em q bit"
I'D handle" retorted l-ettle, "a crew
OF old NicS's f1r~men raw out of the
Epit II was put TO 1t. Don't you make
any error I've kept my end up with
the worst croN IS a man ever put to sea
with. BY James," he went on, with
blow at the table, by James I'd handle
you, Mr.. Mutt IL you were signed on
board O. me till you couldn't call your
| soul your own"
YOU'D w-w-which?" snarled Mutt,
rising in his chair. a..
4 "Sit, you swi- c" said his partner,
'and be quiet. You tire me. What are
4 you riling the gentleman for just when
we were getting so nice and friendly
with him?" ." h
You lemme alonei"
''I'll smash your ugly little face in II
| you don't keep 1t shut" ,.' .. .>. ..-,l
The one eyed man tried to retort, but
his tnarmity, gagged him, and a spasm
] of wild fury bit into all his muscles.
His friend waved a d risive finger,
There's IN image for you, cap. Look
at the creature, froze like a Chinese pet
/ dog. Look at him and Cont laugh.
And, say, ju:t reach me another bottle
of that wine; II will be 30 good-thanks,
stree. wouldn't care If died drinking
this. Here's our blessed health Good
| rId dff falr f,r nd eff0
to you, and IL Mr.. Billy Mutt can't
4 swallow his tantrums and join us two
gentlemen like another gentleman, by
| Jemima, we'll give him what he's got
| for his share and set adrift In an
emoty bottle. vou hear me. Billy
1 Nutt?"
You spup-luttering fool! You boosey
1 drunken putty head!'
I'm not drunk" retorted Hank. ''but
] I'm merry. Have a sup yourself, and
4 then perhaps you'll be better company"
1 with which advise q liberal heel tap
Of champagne splashed in Nuts face.
The man Spra7V to his feet, glowing
like iienc. What Followed was com-
! pieted before a watch could tick twice.
For once the gift of speech did not de-
sert him. The fatal words bounced
| glibly off his tongue. and Hanks venge-
! full hands shot out. In an instant the
| pair were graphing together, and a
scooping thumb did it's horrid work.
+ Then tearing himself away, eyeless the
lesser man ran screaming blindly into
4 the sideboard at the other side OF the
1 cabin. His friend pitched stiffy for
i ward and fell face downward among
the dishes lying there without so much
as CULVER He was stone dead. With
the black banded knife that carved
their baking of pork Mutt had stabbed
him from the shoulder down through
/ his heart. w a# @
Il
i Captain Kettle and took his cooked
| revolver from where 1t lodged between
4 his knee and the under side of the ta-
BILE. ~
He passed swiftly out through the
4 pantry door and was just I'm time for
what he expected. The negroes,
alarmed by Nuts shcleks, were rush
ing from the messroom to see what
had gone wrong. He charged and drove
them furfously back. They turned and
ran before him, tumbling over one an
other in their scared haste, and then
he took up his place in the doorway,
threatening them with steady weapon
and crisp, decisive tongue.
Quick" he cried, quick you scum,
unload yourselves. Pitch overheard
your knives and razors and whatever
you've got or, by James, IL a man of
you stops to think, I'll blow his brains
through the portfolio" -....
| lhc uc6EOco OpSySu IlHl III BullSn,
frightened silence and stood with ell
bows up facing him as he covered
them. Kettle watched the three with
steady eye, but his ear was cooked
down the passage drinking In every
rustic which came from the place he
had left. ."ra+ .. a
The shrieking of the eyeless man in
the cabin had given way to groans, and
then there came the sound of bumps
and scratchtngs, as though he were
blundering madly about to find some
thing, and then the pattering OF naked
feet as he groped his way UP the lead
covered steps of the companionway. So
lntently did they follow this one mans
movements that y seemed to them as
, though all other sounds were hushed,
even to the never ceasing hum Of the
insects. "..
4 With awe the listeners held their
breath for what might come next. But
they had not long to wait. There burst
out a wild TRADE OF hate and BIAS
phemy, which ended in a shrieking cry
, Of despair and a heavy plunging splash,
and once more the distant noises Of the