The Yankee Champion — page 114: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE YANKEE CHAMPION. 107 in their experience, and they were not exactly pre- pared for it. “If it falls upon me, I’ll do it without hesitation, ”? continued Ryan. “Well, I’m agreed,’’ said Baxter; “I’m willing to give the father that chance,” “So am I,’’ added Goss. ‘And I,’’ said Wimper. ‘Head, and so am I,” uttered Dow. Ryan hoped he should not be drawn, for then the deed would be done, and he could swear to Luke that he did it not, ead he could swear, too, that he had no hand in it. Then the man he so much feared would have no cause for vengeance against him. “IT will cut five strips of paper,’’ said Ryan, ‘‘and the one who draws the shortest shall do the deed.’’ “No,” returned Wimper, ‘“‘for you might mark them. Ihave a better plan. Give me five pieces of blank paper, and I will number them, one, two, three, four and five, and on one of them I will write the word ‘knife!’ Then you shall each choosea number, commencing in order as you now sit, and he who chooses the one with that word on it, does the deed before we leave the house. Of course you will all choose first, and then if the number is left - tome last I will doit. Do you understand? “Now, we'll begin,’? continued Wimper, as he took his seat. The formal manner in which the matter had reached its present crisis had given it a deeper color, and the members of the league began to look upon it in a more serious light. They were anxious and uneasy. Baxter alone remained cool and unmoved. That smooth face of his was rubbed down and pol- ished with the subtle grit of his own stony heart, CO Gomicbooks nh