The Argosy for May — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

222 stick was heavy enough to break the wrist of the derringer-man in one quick blow, and then the other two might be settled with as many thrusts in the neck, if the direction of his lunge was still reliable. The odds were unquestionably three to one; but he was a good sportsman, and they didn’t seem so heavy. As one’s mind turns on the most trivial things at the gravest moments, he thought, for a passing instant, how finely polished and satiny the stick was as it slipped through his fingers; and in the next he started with ill-concealed excitement. His forefinger had suddenly encoun- tered a peculiar excrescence on the smooth surface of the Malacca. It could mean but one thing; a beautifully fin- ished stick like that would hardly have chance flaws and knots in its surface. His face flushed with pleasure and relief as the little knot yielded to the pressure of his finger; the plain, inoffensive walk- ing-stick was the envelope of one of those little aristocrats of the great family of cold steel, a Damascus dueling-blade— triangular, elastic, tough—with a point as sharp as a cambric needle. He would have but to press the small button, whip the slender blade from its disguising case, and he would be as well armed as any good fencer cares to be. But the gun might go off first, and he decided that his first move was to strike the weapon from the man’s hand; then he could jump back against the door and defend himself against all comers with the naked blade. The posse was evidently within two hundred yards of the house, but moving slowly; and the man with the gun looked around uneasily as the searcher returned with an old cord, a rag, and a bit of wood. He looked at Singleton almost kindly. ““ Now, you be sensible and do as we tell yer, and you'll get along all right,” he said. “Very well,” replied ‘What shall I do first?” “Drop that club and turn yer back,” ordered the man; and, as the approach- ing voices sounded suddenly nearer, he added: ‘‘ And be blame quick about it!” “Ves!” shouted Singleton; “ let’s be quick.” And with the speed of lightning he Singleton. THE ARGOSY. s | brought down the stick upom the wrist of the man before him, knocking the derringer to the floor and exploding it. At the same time he shouted wildly for help. As he jumped backw ard, the man with the knife rushed at him and thrust wild- ly, before he could draw his new-found ~ weapon; but with an upward motion Singleton buried the ferrule of the stick in the softest part of the man’s neck. The fellow went over backward and lay upon the floor without moving. At that moment the man with the maimed wrist and his remaining pal fled up the stairs to the garret like fright- ened rabbits, as the door was thrown open and the room swarmed with ex- cited men. The two men in the garret were soon routed out and handcuffed, and a farm- wagon was procured to take them to the county jail and their apparently life- less comrade to the hospital. Then the Thorley party made its way home by the shortest route, and Thorley proceed- ed to celebrate the heroism of Singleton in a truly Pickwickian fashion. Wine was fetched from the cellar and a repast was laid, and every one had to shake the hero by the hand several times and assure him that no one else would have had the courage to contend with three ruffians single-handed in a half- lighted room. Brooks was a little stiff, remembering his slurs of the morning; but he assured Singleton that it was really a fine thing to do. “You did just what I, expected you would do if you-had the opportunity,” whispered Ethel Thorley, blushing and pressing his hand more than cordially. ‘Oh, now, let me have a word!” laughed Singleton. “I don’t want all the glory of this affair without explain- ing some of the inside of it. You see, I thought I had an ordinary walking- stick when I tumbled into the shanty with those fellows, and I believed I had a rather slim chance in a scrimmage with them; but my household gods were with me, and I suddenly discovered a little button on the stick, which told me that I was armed with a good sword-cane. That gave me a great burst of courage, and without further .consideration I plunged into the mess, and they dis- (eo) 9)(0)(6) AMG S (C@