The Wrong Man — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

12 THE WRONG MAN. “ You see the snow-flakes were all as as the rim of your hat, and I bein’ small, dodged the same as I would dodge one of your bullets if you should send it after me.” “Smart boy, you; ’spect you'll soon tell me of some great shot your old man made.” “I’m coming to that; have patience. It will be interesting enough when I get to it; so please don’t interrupt me ag’in. As I’ saying, we started for hum through the blinding snow- storm, dad carrying his rifle over his shoulder. He hadn't shot any thing yet, but he did befure we got hum. I spose we'd + saa nigh ontoan hour or so, when what do you suppose took j ace ?” ae I s’pose you got hum,” replied the hunter, accenting the last word with a sneer. “No, sir; no such thing. We came right back to the spot from where we started. Yes, sir, we did, and had to start over ag’in through the snow that came down faster than ever. And now it commenced blowing like a hurricane. I remem- ber it blowed so, my daddy had to put some stones in his sae to keep him from blowing away, and his coat-tails pped in the wind like a sail that had been split by a tornado. ee you, Mr. Never-miss, that was a regular snorter, was that ~ ow.” “ How was it that you wasn’t blowed away ?” “T hung in so close under the old man’s jee, that the wind didn’t git a chance at me, otherways I s’pose I would have been carried out to sea, and never heard of afterward.” “ An all-fired pity, then, that the wind didn’t git a chance at ou. I know one man in these parts that would have been glad, d you been carried to the north pole by it.” * A man who makes such wonderful shots as I ve seen just now, isn’t apt to want to sce others about,” said the peddler, meaningly. “ Though he can’t help it sometimes. But, that ain’t neither here nor there. We're talking about shooting and you'll hear of a great shot pretty soon. As | observed, I was walking behind the old man, and his coat-tails were flapping in the wind like a sail, when, by Jerusalem! what do you suppose did happen ?” demanded the peddler, now thoroaghly excited at the remembrance of some occurrence. “ How many times are you going to ask me that question?” said the hunter impatiently ; I don’t know nothin’ about you nor don’t want to.” “ Waal, sir, what did happen was this: I was a my head . , When something strack me on the back. heard a mighty rushing sound, and the next minute I was sailing through “ Sailing through the air!” repeated the hunter, betraying his curiosity. "Witt te devil do you mean ?” t t “ Why sir, nothing more nor less than that an saghehad carried o ya Soe | a, i 8 . - & Ps _— ee | —~ ©