[Mlterm-dev-en] ' she a widder with me to look after! Most o' the business a

[Suppa M. <bu...@ar...>]

Hem. "Come out o' there, ye measly city chap, an' take yer medicine,"
roared Bill, swinging his whip. "I'll larn ye to come inter a decent
neighborhood an' slander its women. Come outer there!" West had sat
quietly observing the scene. Now he inquired, in composed tones: "What's
the trouble, Bill?" "Trouble? Trouble, West? Why, this lyin' scroundrel
said in his paper thet our Molly had a rough smile. That's the trouble!"
"Did he really say that?" asked West. "'Course he did. Printed it in the
paper, for all to read. That's why I've come to cowhide the critter
within an inch o' his life!" "Good fer you, Bill!" cried his friends,
encouragingly. "But--wait a moment!" commanded West, as the maddened,
half drunken young farmer was about to leap over the table to grasp his
victim; "you're not going at this thing right, Bill Sizer." "Why ain't
I, Bob West?" "Because," answered West, in calm, even tones, "this
insult is too great to be avenged by a mere cowhiding. Nothing but blood
will wipe away the dreadful stain on your sister's character." "Oh, Mr.
West!" cried Patsy, horrified by such a statement. "Eh? Blood?" said
Bill, stupefied by the suggestion. "Of course," returned West. "You
mustn't thrash Mr. Weldon; you must kill him." A delighted chorus of
approval came from Sizer's supporte