The Cock-a-whoop cowboy was seized with
a palsy; great tears rolled down the cheeks of the gaunt Missourian;
one man began to swear incoherently, cursing himself and his fellows;
another prayed aloud.
"He's dead!" shrieked Charlie.
At the grim word, moved by a common impulse, whipped to unreasonable
panic as they had been whipped to unreasoning cruelty, the pack broke
headlong from the room--and fled!
Long after they had gone, Mary opened his eyes.
"Coon Dogs coming?" he muttered. "Heap bad men!"
"They have come and gone," said Ajax. "They'll never come again, Mary.
It's all right. Go to sleep."
Mary obediently closed his eyes.
"He'll recover," Ajax said. And he did.
XVI
OLD MAN BOBO'S MANDY
Old man Bobo was the sole survivor of a once famous trio. Two out of
the three, Doc Dickson and Pap Spooner, had passed to the shades, and
the legend ran that when their disembodied spirits reached the banks
of Styx, the ruling passion of their lives asserted itself for the
last time. They demurred loudly, impatiently, at the exorbitant fee,
ten cents, demanded by Charon.
"We weigh light," said Pap Spooner, "awful light! Call it, mister,
fifteen cents for the two!"
"Ten cents apiece," replied the ferryman, "or three for a quarter.
Pages:
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306