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  CHAPTER II ROMANCE

  The author of "Harold Ramorez," etc., lit one of the hayseed cigarettes,seated himself comfortably, with his back against the wall and hisright shoulder just under the lantern, elevated his knees to support thenote-book, turned to a blank page, and wrote, slowly and earnestly:

  "CHAPITER THE SIXTH"

  He took a knife from his pocket, and, broodingly, his eyes upon theinward embryos of vision, sharpened his pencil. After that, he extendeda foot and meditatively rubbed Duke's back with the side of his shoe.Creation, with Penrod, did not leap, full-armed, from the brain; butfinally he began to produce. He wrote very slowly at first, and thenwith increasing rapidity; faster and faster, gathering momentum andgrowing more and more fevered as he sped, till at last the true firecame, without which no lamp of real literature may be made to burn.

  Mr. Wilson reched for his gun but our hero had him covred and soon saidWell I guess you don't come any of that on me my freind.

  Well what makes you so sure about it sneered the other bitting his lipso savageley that the blood ran. You are nothing but a common Roadagentany way and I do not propose to be bafled by such, Ramorez laughed atthis and kep Mr. Wilson covred by his ottomatick.

  Soon the two men were struggling together in the death-roes but soon MrWilson got him bound and gaged his mouth and went away for awhile leavinour hero, it was dark and he writhd at his bonds writhing on the floorwile the rats came out of their holes and bit him and vernim got allover him from the floor of that helish spot but soon he managed to pushthe gag out of his mouth with the end of his toungeu and got all hisbonds off.

  Soon Mr Wilson came back to tant him with his helpless condition flowedby his gang of detectives and they said Oh look at Ramorez sneering athis plight and tanted him with his helpless condition because Ramorezhad put the bonds back sos he would look the same but could throw themoff him when he wanted to Just look at him now sneered they. To hear himtalk you would thought he was hot stuff and they said Look at him now,him that was going to do so much, Oh I would not like to be in his fix.

  Soon Harold got mad at this and jumped up with blasing eyes throwin offhis bonds like they were air Ha Ha sneered he I guess you better nottalk so much next time. Soon there flowed another awful struggle andsiezin his ottomatick back from Mr Wilson he shot two of the detectivesthrough the heart Bing Bing went the ottomatick and two more went tomeet their Maker only two detectives left now and so he stabbed one andthe scondrel went to meet his Maker for now our hero was fightingfor his very life. It was dark in there now for night had falen and aterrible view met the eye Blood was just all over everything and therats were eatin the dead men.

  Soon our hero manged to get his back to the wall for he was fightingfor his very life now and shot Mr Wilson through the abodmen Oh said MrWilson you---- ---- ---- (The dashes are Penrod's.)

  Mr Wilson stagerd back vile oaths soilin his lips for he was in pain Whyyou---- ----you sneered he I will get you yet---- ----you Harold Ramorez

  The remainin scondrel had an ax which he came near our heros head withbut missed him and ramand stuck in the wall Our heros amunition wasexhaused what was he to do, the remanin scondrel would soon get his axlose so our hero sprung forward and bit him till his teeth met in theflech for now our hero was fighting for his very life. At this theremanin scondrel also cursed and swore vile oaths. Oh sneered he-------- ----you Harold Ramorez what did you bite me for Yes sneered MrWilson also and he has shot me in the abdomen too the----

  Soon they were both cursin and reviln him together Why you---- ---- -------- ----sneered they what did you want to injure us for----you HaroldRamorez you have not got any sence and you think you are so much but youare no better than anybody else and you are a---- ---- ---- ---- --------

  Soon our hero could stand this no longer. If you could learn to act likegentlmen said he I would not do any more to you now and your low vileexppresions have not got any effect on me only to injure your own selfwhen you go to meet your Maker Oh I guess you have had enogh for one dayand I think you have learned a lesson and will not soon atemp to beardHarold Ramorez again so with a tantig laugh he cooly lit a cigarrete andtakin the keys of the cell from Mr Wilson poket went on out.

  Soon Mr Wilson and the wonded detective manged to bind up their wondsand got up off the floor---- ----it I will have that dasstads life nowsneered they if we have to swing for it---- ---- ---- ----him he shallnot eccape us again the low down---- ---- ---- ---- ----

  Chapiter seventh

  A mule train of heavily laden burros laden with gold from the mines wasto be seen wondering among the highest clifts and gorgs of the Rocky Mtsand a tall man with a long silken mustash and a cartigde belt could beheard cursin vile oaths because he well knew this was the lair of HaroldRamorez Why---- ---- ----you you---- ---- ---- ---- mules you sneered hebecause the poor mules were not able to go any quicker ---- you I willshow you Why---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----it sneered he his oaths growingviler and viler I will whip you---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----yousos you will not be able to walk for a week---- ----you you mean old-------- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----mules you

  Scarcly had the vile words left his lips when----

  "PENROD!"

  It was his mother's voice, calling from the back porch.

  Simultaneously, the noon whistles began to blow, far and near; and theromancer in the sawdust-box, summoned prosaically from steep mountainpasses above the clouds, paused with stubby pencil halfway from lip toknee. His eyes were shining: there was a rapt sweetness in his gaze. Ashe wrote, his burden had grown lighter; thoughts of Mrs. Lora Rewbushhad almost left him; and in particular as he recounted (even bythe chaste dash) the annoyed expressions of Mr. Wilson, the woundeddetective, and the silken moustached mule-driver, he had feltmysteriously relieved concerning the Child Sir Lancelot. Altogether helooked a better and a brighter boy.

  "Pen-ROD!"

  The rapt look faded slowly. He sighed, but moved not.

  "Penrod! We're having lunch early just on your account, so you'll haveplenty of time to be dressed for the pageant. Hurry!"

  There was silence in Penrod's aerie.

  "PEN-rod!"

  Mrs. Schofields voice sounded nearer, indicating a threatened approach.Penrod bestirred himself: he blew out the lantern, and shoutedplaintively:

  "Well, ain't I coming fast's I can?"

  "Do hurry," returned the voice, withdrawing; and the kitchen door couldbe heard to close.

  Languidly, Penrod proceeded to set his house in order.

  Replacing his manuscript and pencil in the cigar-box, he carefullyburied the box in the sawdust, put the lantern and oil-can back in thesoap-box, adjusted the elevator for the reception of Duke, and, in nouncertain tone, invited the devoted animal to enter.

  Duke stretched himself amiably, affecting not to hear; and when thispretence became so obvious that even a dog could keep it up no longer,sat down in a corner, facing it, his back to his master, and his headperpendicular, nose upward, supported by the convergence of the twowalls. This, from a dog, is the last word, the comble of the immutable.Penrod commanded, stormed, tried gentleness; persuaded with honeyedwords and pictured rewards. Duke's eyes looked backward; otherwisehe moved not. Time elapsed. Penrod stooped to flattery, finally toinsincere caresses; then, losing patience spouted sudden threats.

  Duke remained immovable, frozen fast to his great gesture of implacabledespair.

  A footstep sounded on the threshold of the store-room.

  "Penrod, come down from that box this instant!"

  "Ma'am?"

  "Are you up in that sawdust-box again?" As Mrs. Schofield had just heardher son's voice issue from the box, and also, as she knew he was thereanyhow, her question must have been put for oratorical purposes only."Because if you are," she continued promptly, "I'm going to ask yourpapa not to let you play there any----"

  Penrod's forehead, his eyes, the tops of his ears, and most of his hair,became visible to her at the top of the box. "I ain't 'pl
aying!'" hesaid indignantly.

  "Well, what ARE you doing?"

  "Just coming down," he replied, in a grieved but patient tone.

  "Then why don't you COME?"

  "I got Duke here. I got to get him DOWN, haven't I? You don't suppose Iwant to leave a poor dog in here to starve, do you?"

  "Well, hand him down over the side to me. Let me----"

  "I'll get him down all right," said Penrod. "I got him up here, and Iguess I can get him down!"

  "Well then, DO it!"

  "I will if you'll let me alone. If you'll go on back to the house Ipromise to be there inside of two minutes. Honest!"

  He put extreme urgency into this, and his mother turned toward thehouse. "If you're not there in two minutes----"

  "I will be!"

  After her departure, Penrod expended some finalities of eloquence uponDuke, then disgustedly gathered him up in his arms, dumped him into thebasket and, shouting sternly, "All in for the ground floor--step backthere, madam--all ready, Jim!" lowered dog and basket to the floorof the storeroom. Duke sprang out in tumultuous relief, and bestowedfrantic affection upon his master as the latter slid down from the box.

  Penrod dusted himself sketchily, experiencing a sense of satisfaction,dulled by the overhanging afternoon, perhaps, but perceptible: he hadthe feeling of one who has been true to a cause. The operation of theelevator was unsinful and, save for the shock to Duke's nervous system,it was harmless; but Penrod could not possibly have brought himself toexhibit it in the presence of his mother or any other grown person inthe world. The reasons for secrecy were undefined; at least, Penrod didnot define them.