Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-08-02
XIV.
THE PLUME HUNTERS DINNER
PARTY.

THE PLUME HUNTERS DINNER
PARTY.
The one eyed man, Billy Mutt, and his
friend and partner. whose name was
apparently Hank, without further at
tachment. 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 adornment,
and the Seminole of the Everglades
desired corn whisky for his stomach's
sake, and white game regulations for
babe collection OF the first, Indians pro-
lection acts vetoed lawful distribution
OF the second. And for the transgres-
sor there were distinct and heavy PEN
alties.
But. to begin with, States law does
not cary very far in the Everglades OF
Florida, which is the home of outlaws,
and in the second place Mr.. Mutt and
friend were 10Th wanted" on several
counts already, among which unjustif-
able homicide ranked high, so that they
were ren entirely reckless and inclined
to look upon r~~aching and Illicit whisky
pedling to the aboriginal as the mildest
of mild peccadilloes. Moreover. as In
furtherance OF their business they were
extremely well armed n apt to shoot
first and reflect afterward when an
noyed, they were not persons to be
argued with by any of the more gentle
methods.
The three men on the steamer were in
10 way prepared to receive these du-
bious visitors-were, in fact, completely
oblivious of their approach, being still
chained in the deepest slumber. The
sun had dropped below the tree tops,
and already the night noises Of the
forest We're beginning-the rattle OF
crickets and toads in the trees. the
grunting of the bullfrog in the swamp,
the dry rustic of the jar flies and the
warm hum of the never sleeping no.
squito. In the darker tree aisles there
commenced the brief light snappings Of
firefies, and I'm the black Swallowed
water OF the bayous were other phos-
phorescent glows, like these, only COM
ing from the eyes of some proving al
ligator.
The sloop ran down her j~ibtopsaii,
and as the iron hanks screamed along
the stay a negro trotted nimbly out
along the fiat bowsprit top to secure the
sail in it's gaskets. The wind 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 out a fathom or so to
the good by every board across the
river. The one eyed man danced a
q barefoot tattoo of fury on the floor
L " va VI bAic IcNhpil at Allo w "ilSoS,
and his loose limbed partner, who still
sprawled on the cabin roof, chuckled
with easy amusement. But the breeze
held long enough for their purpose.
They ran up above the steamer, and the
stream ground their planking against
the rust streaked iron. A pair of davit
falls hung down, with the blocks weed
covered in with water, and overhauling
one of these they made it fast round
the bits. Then, swarming up the other
fall, the whole five of them gained the
bridge deck above.
Instinctively when once their feet
were OF the warm gray planks each
man, black and 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, and from starting about
them they took to staring at one an
other rather foolishly. II one has been
expecting a brisk game Of murder, and
n meets with empty silence, 1t rather
spells the sequence Of ideas.
Come to think OF it." said Hank in
an oppressive whisper, IF there'd been
an anchor watch, they'd have hailed us
before we got this far. / bet the old
mans asleep In the charthouse.
'Twouldn't be a bad idea to bottle him."
(Coptipued Next Week