Year: 1877

t here am; and I'm just aching to be
shot full of bullets weighing a pound
| apiece"


!, No one was looking for him. Some
looked at him, and some looked across
the street on purpose not to see him,
while there was a uniform movement
towards hip pockets.


Il didn't know but that some of YOU
8 might have come out here from New
, York or Boston to plant me under the
sweet jessemine or the climbing morning
glory" chuckled the Terror as he rested
the butt of his rife on the ground and
fished up six shooter from his bootleg.
There were men from New York and
Boston in the party, but they didn't want
to bury any one just then.


al don't own this town" continued the
Terror, as he laid his infant armory
across the head ofa barrel. sIdon't own
a foot of ground or a share in any of the
public buildings erected at the expense
of taxpayers, but when stand ON Wash
ington Square and utter one yell this
whole town quakes. I'm Terror No l.
There are one or two other Terrors
around here, but I'm the boss-I'm the
reglar deaths head and cross bones of
/ the Black Hills region"


Before he had ceased speaking most OF
the new comers had disappeared, some
looking pale and anxious, and others
feeling shivers race up and down their
backs. :


An hour later, when Il party of five
strangers from New England were max
ing the acquaintance of the Internal bev
erages ON sale in one of the shanty sa-
looms, and at the same time pumping the
proprietor about prospects, in walked
the Terror. He looked rs fierce as
catamount cheated out of her dessert,
and there was an awful growl in his
voice as he called out:


''Five o'clock by Omaha time, and
hayn't killed or been killed this whole
day long, Turn loose your pet grizzlies,
unhitch your whirlwindsand let a dozen
wild lions come for me at once,''


Take something to drink my good
friend" mildly replied the saloOnist.
"You are always welcome here, but you
don't drop in half often enough. Don't
be afraid to pour out all you want


TO tell the honest truth, Steve said
the Terror, as he poured out nearly half
pint of the worst whiskey ever made,
81 came in here to kill some one, but
you are white man clear down TO your
toe nails, and | won't raise no row.
That's good whiskey, that is, and if you
want any one in Custer City put under
ground, Just give me his name Can you
think of any one?"


The saloon keeper reflected for a
moment, as he slowly wiped off his bar
with an old calico apron, and finally he
replied:


NO; 1 don't think of anyone justnow,
but something will probably turn up in
a day or two. Any time you feel thirsty
come in and help yourself"


One of the five men had formerly been
a moulder in Il Troy stove foundry, and
he had been closely Watching the Terror.
All of a sudden he held out his hand for
shake, cheerfully observing:


I'll bet 100 to l that we used 10 work,
board, and room together


The terror reached out his hand,
closely scanned the moulder's face, and
after q moment he said to the whole five:


Gentlemen, come out doors and take
seats on the bench. begin to know this
man, and don't want to answer any
questions in here"


We'll, but am surprised to find you
out here and rigged up in this style,
remarked the moulder as the men found
seats.


so you NAV be-" slowly replied the
Terror. When worked in Troy there
WASH a man or boy about. ,hr shop
who couldn't make me eat dirt was
one of The biggest towards east OF Chi
cago, and now I'm one of the biggest
west of that town. own right up, be-
cause know you will not go back on
me- might fight if was cornered but
if there was chance to run or crawl
out wouldn't strike blow"


"But you talk very brave" said one


"And its all talk" replied the Terror,
as he picked his teeth with his bowie
knife. Il iloated out here from Chicago,
poor as rat, and the biggest coward in
the whole train. Ifluck hadn't favored
me l should have been under the sod
long ago. I've got an awful voice, and
can look as ugly as bear in a trap, and
somehow or other the story got afiOat
that killed two men in Chicago was
rescued from the gallows by mob, and
that had come out here to escape jus
tice. Men grew afraid Of me, and / soon
got the cue. / determined to become a
Terror in order to make an honest liv-
ing, and I've got the thing right down
fine"


"And you are not a fighter and a
shooter and q slasher."


Gentlemen, it's kind of mean for q
man to run his own character down, but
to be honest about it / don't suppose
there is a man who couldn't wallop me
inside of one minute by the watch. i
go round simply to make a show. If
that saloon keeper had reached out for
me you'd have seen me dig out mighty
lively. But these weapons the name
I've got, and my anxious look for gore
frightened him half to DEATH


"Yes, everybody seems afraid Of YOU"
observed the man from Troy.


sAfraid? guess they are! When
walk into place everybody begins to
quake and shiver, though have never
drawn blood in this town. Here comes
the chap who acts as City Marshal, Chief
of Police, or whatever you may call him.
He's six feet high and weighs over two