Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-08-10

p
pate on her engine altered, and the
label on her stern changed, ard a diff
fcrent pattern painted on her smoke
stacks, and a coat OF gray clapped on
her outside. And then-then. when
she's so bsdcvied her own builder
wouldn't know her, wen run her round
to some SURh American port where
the least number OF questions Will be
ask I'D and sell her for what she'll fetch.
But only the steamer, mark you. !
reckon she's carried the freight far
enough Thatll ba struck out OF her
here"
YOU bet" said Matt, rubbing his
hands Wen corral the dollars for
you right here till you come back. You
shah have our niggers 10 s--etoke for
you if you can get EN- and can manage
you'd w-w-Caken when you came to
know 'em a Bit"
ia handle" retorted i-ettle "a crew
OF old NickS fremen raw out OF the
pit II / was put TO IT, Don't you make
any error. I've kept my end up with
the worst GRO + man ever put TO sea
with. by James, he went on, with a
blow at the table. by James ia handle
you. Mr.. Mutt if you were signed on
board O me till you couldn't call your
soul your own.
You'd w-w-which - snarIed Mutt,
rising In his chair
"Sit, you swi said his partner,
"and be quiet. You tire me. What are
you riling the gentleman for just when
we We're getting 30 nice and friendly
with him."
You lemme aLone,"
"I'n smash your ugly httAe face IN If
you don't keep it shut"
The one eyed man tried 10 retOrta Uut
his infirmity gagged him, and a spasm
OF wild fury bit into all his muscles
Hts friend waved a risive finger.
There's qn image for you. cap. Look
at the creature, froze like a Chinese pet
dog, Look at him and Cont laugh
And say, iu-t reach me another bottle
of that wine II will be 50 good--thanks
stree / wouldn't care II died drinking
this. Here's our blessed health Good
old cap! You stick 20 me, and Til stick
to you, and If Mr.. Billy Mutt can't
swallow his tantrums and join us two
gentlemen like another gentleman, by
Jemima, wen give him what he's got
for his share and set adrirt in an
emoty bottle. You bear me, Billy
Mutt
You spup-Iuttcring fool! You boosey
drunken putty head"
I'm not drunk, retorted Hank, but
I'm merry. Have q sup yourself. and
then perhaps you'll be bettCc company"
with which advise "a liberal heel tap
Of champagne splashed IN Nuts face
The man spraaE TO his feet glowing
like a ilcnd. What followed was com
pleted before a watch could tick twice.
For once the gift Of speech did not de-
sert him. The fatal words bounced
glibly of his tongue, and Hanks venge-
ful hands shot out In an instant tho
pair were graphing together, and
scooping thumb did it's horrid work
nv Il. J. "a .
lesser man ran screaming blindly into
the sidebOard at the other side of the
cabin. His friend pitched stifny for
ward and fell face downward among
the dishes lying there without so much.
as qutvCr He was stone dead. With
the black handled knife that carved
their baking of pork Mutt had stabbed
him from the shoulder down through
his heart.
THAT saves my cartridges" said
Captain Kettle and took his cooked
revolver from where 1t lodged between
his knee and the under side of the ta-
BILE.
He passed swiftly out through the
pantry door and was just In time for
what he expected. The negroes
by Nuts sh .ieks, were rush
ing from the messroom to see what
had gone wrong. lie charged and drove
ran before him. tumbling over one an
other in their scared haste, and then
he took up his place in the doorway,
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. If man Of
you stops to think. I'll blow his brains
through tho porthole.'
The negroes obeyed him in sullen.
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.
The shrieking of the eyeless man in
the cabin had given way to groans, and
then there came the sound Of bumps
and scratchings, as though he were
madly about to find some
thing, and then the pattering of naked
feet as he CROPPED his way up the lead
covered steps Of the companionway So
intently did they follow this one mans
that it seemed TO them as
though all other sounds were husned
even to the never ceasing hum of the
insects.
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 shrieking cry
of despair and heavy plunging splash,
and once more the distant noises of the
night closed down upon them.
Mutt" said Captain Kettle. 'is dead,
and I'm almost sorry. l believe l could
have liked that man. He'd grit in him.
had Mutt, and he wouldn't take cheek
from a living soul Your other boss
my niggers now and will be till I've
done with YOU"
''Whor d'you mean?" one of the cap
tives asked, with a whine.
You'll have to do what niggers were
sent in the world for, and that's work.
Your fool OF a government says you
aren't slaves now, and so / won't treat
you as such-that is, you'll be paid
But / shall get my moneys worth out
of you first"
Il guess this is a free country. You
can't make US work unless We choose >
I've had that said before to me, "
Kettle rejoined grirnly. by better men
than you-white men-and they
changed their MINDS when l got To
handling them. You'll see later. But
for now you've goi 10 stay here, and
If you get out, and l find you rambling
you'll be shot like crows. You quite
understand"
He shut the messroom door and
locked ii and once more went TO the
main cabin. The tall man lay exactly
as he had fallen, and from underneath
his neck five tricklets of red spread out
across the stopped tablecloth like the
fingers of monstrouS hand. The lamp
light fell also upon other smearings OF
red whore Mutt had CROPPED his way
round the paneling. Kettle Iearrsd w
against the rail OF the sideboard and
wiped his face with a napkin. Perspira-
ton had Ioosened the coal dust, and the
skin came out white with only here and
there a srntsdge of the old Crime.
"Supposink," he said 10 himself, 1--WE
were robbed now, and there was trial
who's TO prove / didn't put the pork
knife in that man? o Lord, what q
hat It's gstting,"
CHAPTER XVI.