The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-08-09

merriment. as might befall.
Say, cap" said h long man as he
dallied with his last strawberry tartlet,
isn't it so that you've got this fine
It's So" said Kettle, "or something
very like that"
Your own"
oh. Lord. no. Just freight consign-
ed to New orleans and brought here
by that blowup l was telling you about.
1 suppose that you gentlemenM have no
objection to bearing a hand aboard ONE
now you are here? I'm q bit short man
ned, and it'd be a pity to let freight
like that rust for want of lingering"
Ian grinned at his vis-a-vis and
then turned to the little skipper in the
swivel hair. NO." he said. Il don't
see there's anything wrong with that.
but I'm afraid if we Clipped in we
couldn't sign on so far as Moo Orleans"
New Orleans be sugared!" cried
Captain Kettle. Haven't l 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 a diff
ferent pattern painted on her smoke
stacks. and a coat of gray clapped on
her outside. And then-then, when
she's so bedeviled her own builder
WOdllll I III llCI, WE "a VII ~ Jun
to some South American port where
the least umbe of questions will be
asked and sell her for what shell fetch.
But only the steamer, mark you. l
reckon she's carried the freight far
enough. That'n be struck out of her
here"
You bet" said ryltt. rubbing his
hands. "We'l corral the dollar for
you right here till you come back. You
shall have our niggers to s--stoke for
you If you can get EN- and can manage
EN-. But they're fair toughs. Perhaps
you'd w-W-eaken when you came to
know 'em a bit"
I'D handle,'' retorted l-ettle, "a crew
of old Nick's fremen raw out of the
pit If l was put to it. Don't Vol make
n error. I've kept my end up with
the worst Gro IS a man ever u to sea
with. By James," he went on. with a
blow at the table, by James I'd handle
you. Mr.. Mutt If you We're 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 ns1t h You o%iet swt yo, ,i Said ma his W Rartn sns
you riling the gentleman for just when
we were getting SO nice and friendly
with him."
You femme alone!"
TN smash your ugly little face in if
you QOnt keep II smut.
The one eyed man tried to retort, but
his tnirmity gagged him, INC a spasm
of wild fury bit into all his muscles.
His friend waved a d risive finger.
'Thera's IN image for you. cap. Look
at the creature, froze like a Chinese pet
dog. Look at him and ont laugh
And. say, ju:t reach me another bottle
Of that wine; it will be SO ~good-thanks.
stree. l wouldn't care if L died drinking
his. Here's our blessed health. Good
old cap! You stick to me. and Ill stick
to you. and If Mr.. Billy Mutt can't
swallow his tantrums and join us two
gentlemen like another gentleman, by
Jemima, well give him what he's got
for his share and set adrift in an
enloty bottle. You hear me, Billy
Nutt?'
You spup-luttering fool! You boosey
drunken putty head!'
I'm not drunk" retorted Hank, "bu
I'm merry. Have a sup yourself, and
then perhaps you'll be better company"
with which advise a liberal heel tap
of champagne splashed Insults face.
The man sprarx to his feet, glowing
like a 11end. 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 off his tongue, n Hanks yenge-
full hands shot out. In an instant the
pair We're graphing together, and q
scooping thumb did its horrid work
Then tearing himself away, eyeless. the
lesser man ran screaming blindly into
I the sideboard at the other side of the
l cabin. His friend pitched stiffy for
/, ward and fell face downward among
l the dishes lying there without SO mucl
as e culver. He was stone dead. Wit
3 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" sal
e Captain Kettle INC took his cocke
revolver from where it lodged betwee
e his knee and the under side Of the ia
BILE.
He passed swiftly out through t.,
G pantry loo and was just in time 70
" alarmed by Nuts sh:leks. were rush
ing from the messroom to see wha
i had gone wrong. He charged and drov
them f%uriously back. They turned an
ran before him. tumbling over one ar
is other in their scared haste, and the
he took up his place in the doorwa,
20 threatening them With steady weapo
or and crisp, decisive tongue.
is QUICK" he cried, quick. you sour
n unload yourselves. Pitch overboa,
your knives and razors and whatev,
& you've got, or, by James, if a mar
you stops to think. I'll blow his brai,
through the portfolio"
v The negroes obeyed him in sulle
y, frightened silence n stood With e
bows up facing him as he covere
them. Kettle watched the three wi
= steady eye. but his car was cock.
down the passage drinking in eve,
ct rustic which came from the place
had left.
The shrieklng of the eyeless man
he the cabin a given way to groans, al
lis then there came the SOUND of bum
a n scratchings, as though he we
D. laundering madly about to find som
as thing, and then the pattering of max
re. feet as he CROPPED his way up the le
,s, covered steps of the companionway.
es intently did they follow this one MAJ
movements hat 1t seemed to them
tie though all other sounds were husht
ng eve to the never ceasing hum Of t
insects.
III With awe the listeners held tn
breath for VIA might come next. e
ne they had not long to wait. Their bu,
out a Wild TRADE of hate and biz
in. pheiny, which ended in a s%hrieking {
Of despair and u heavy plunging spla;
and once more the distant noises OF t
night closed down upon them.
Mutt" said Captain Kettle. SIS de;
of and Pm almost sorry. l believe l co,
Of have liked that man He'd grit in hi
had Mutt, and he wouldn't take che
ort from a living soul. Your other b,
also Is dead-killed by Mutt. So you
,ht my niggers now and will be till /