South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-06-12
THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF
By o. Henry

self to get there on time. Whoa.
now"
The Black Scout jumps on Bits
back and digs his heels IN his side.
For heavens sake" says Bill,
hurry back. sam. as soon as you
can. wish we hadn't made the
ransome more than a thousand. Say.
you quit kicking me or III get up
and warm you good"
walked over 70 Poplar Cove and
sat around the postofhce and store.
talking with the chawbacons that
come in 20 trade. One whiskerando
says that he hears Summit Is all up
set on account 81 Elder Ebenezer
Dorsets boy having been lost or
stolen. That was all I wanted TO
know. I bought some smoking to-
bacco, referred casually 20 the price
OF black-eyed peas. posted my letter
surreptitiously and came away. The
postmaster said the mail-carrier
would come by in an hour 20 take
the mail on 20 Summit.
When 1 got back 10 the cave Bill
and the boy were not 10 be found.
explored the vicinity OF the cave, and
risked a yodel or two. but there was
no response.
So l lighted my pipe and sat down
on messy bank 10 await develop
ments
In about half an hour 1 heard the
bushes rustic. and Bill wabbled out
into the little glade in front OF the
cave. Behind him was the kid, STEP
uing sofcly like a scout. with a
broad grin on his face. Bill stopped,
took off his hat and wiped his face
with a red handkerchief. The kid
stopped about eight feet behind him.
sam" says Bill. Il suppose you'll
think I'm a renegade. but
couldn't help 1t. I'm a grown person
with masculine proclivities and
habits Of self-defense. but there Is a
time when all systems Of egotism
and predominance fail. The boy IS
gone. / have sent him home. All Is
off. There was martyrs in old
times" goes on Bill, that suffered
death rather than give up the par
ticular graft they enjoyed None ~:
EN- ever was subjugated 10 such SUI
pernatural tortures as have been. I
tried to be faithful TO our articles
Of depreciation; but there came a
limit"
Whats the trouble, Bin7" I asks
him.
II was rode" says Bill, "the go
miles to the stockade, not barring an
inch. Then, when the settlers was
rescued, 1 was given oats. Sand
amt a palatable substitute. And
then, for an hour had TO try TO ex-
plain to him why there was nothin'
in holes, how a road can run both
ways and what makes the grass
green. I tell you. Sam. a human can
only stand so much. ] takes him by
the neck of his clothes and drags
him down the mountain. on the
way he kicks my legs black-and-blue
from the knees down; and I've got
TO have two or three bites on my
thumb and hand cauterized.
But he's gOne"-continued Bill
-"gOne home. 1 showed him the
road to Summit and kicked him
about eight feet nearer there. at one
kick. I'm sorry we lose the ran
som; but It was either that or Bill
Driscoll TO the madhouse."
Bill is putting and blowing. blu.
there is a look Of ineffable peace and
growing content on his rose pink
features.
"Bill." says I. there isn't any
heart disease in your family, IS
there?"
NO" says Bill, nothing chronic
except malaria and accidents. Why?"
Then you might turn around, 4"
says I. and have a look behind you"
Bill turns and sees the boy, and
loses his complexion and sits down
plump on the ground and begins 10
pluck aimlessly at grass and little
sticks. For an hour I was afraid
OF his mind. And then l told him
that my scheme was to put the
whole job through Immediately and
that we would get the ransom and
be off with it by midnight If old
| Dorset fell in with our proposition
So Bill braced up enough to give the
kid a weak sort Of a smile and a
promise to play the Russian in a
! Japanese war with him as soon as
he felt little better.