It regarded like a superb factor. However wait until I let you know. We had been down south, in Alabama – Invoice Driscoll and myself – when this kidnapping thought struck us. There was a city down there, as flat as a pancake, and referred to as Summit. Invoice and I had about 600 . We wanted simply two thousand extra for an unlawful land deal in Illinois.
We selected for our sufferer — the one baby of an influential citizen named Ebenezer Dorset. He was a boy of ten, with purple hair. Invoice and I assumed that Ebenezer would pay a ransom of two thousand to get his boy again. However wait until I let you know.
About two miles from Summit was a bit of mountain, coated with cedar timber. There was a gap on the again of the mountain. We saved our provides in that cave.
One evening, we drove a horse and carriage previous outdated Dorset’s home. The boy was on the street, throwing rocks at a cat on the other fence.
“Hey little boy!” says Invoice, “would you wish to have a bag of sweet and a pleasant experience?”
The boy hits Invoice instantly within the eye with a bit of rock.
That boy put up a struggle like a wild animal. However, ultimately, we bought him down within the backside of the carriage and drove away.
We took him as much as the cave. The boy had two massive hen feathers caught in his hair. He factors a stick at me and says:
“Ha! Paleface, do you dare to enter the camp of Purple Chief, the fear of the plains?”
“He is all proper now,” says Invoice, rolling up his pants and analyzing wounds on his legs. “We’re taking part in Indian. I am Outdated Hank, the trapper, Purple Chief’s captive. I will be scalped at dawn. By Geronimo! That child can kick exhausting.”
“Purple Chief,” says I to the boy, “would you wish to go dwelling?”
“Aw, what for?” says he. “I haven’t got any enjoyable at dwelling. I hate to go to highschool. I wish to camp out. You will not take me again dwelling once more, will you?”
“Not straight away,” says I. “We’ll keep right here within the cave some time.”
“All proper!” says he. “That’ll be positive. I by no means had such enjoyable in all my life.”
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We went to mattress about eleven o’clock. Simply at dawn, I used to be woke up by a sequence of horrible screams from Invoice. Purple Chief was sitting on Invoice’s chest, with one hand holding his hair. Within the different, he had a pointy knife. He was making an attempt to chop off the highest of Invoice’s head, primarily based on what he had declared the evening earlier than.
I bought the knife away from the boy. However, after that occasion, Invoice’s spirit was damaged. He lay down, however he by no means closed an eye fixed once more in sleep so long as that boy was with us.
“Do you assume anyone can pay out cash to get a bit of imp like that again dwelling?” Invoice requested.
“Certain,” I mentioned. “A boy like that’s simply the sort that oldsters love. Now, you and the Chief rise up and make one thing to eat, whereas I am going up on the highest of this mountain and go searching.”
I climbed to the highest of the mountain. Over towards Summit, I anticipated to see the boys of the village looking out the countryside. However all was peaceable.
“Maybe,” says I to myself, “it has not but been found that the wolves have taken the lamb from the fold.” I went again down the mountain.
After I bought to the cave, I discovered Invoice backed up towards the facet of it. He was respiration exhausting, with the boy threatening to strike him with a rock.
“He put a red-hot potato down my again,” defined Invoice, “after which crushed it together with his foot. I hit his ears. Have you ever bought a gun with you, Sam?”
I took the rock away from the boy and ended the argument.
“I am going to repair you,” says the boy to Invoice. “No man ever but struck the Purple Chief however what he bought paid for it. You higher watch out!”
After consuming, the boy takes a leather-based object with strings tied round it from his garments and goes exterior the cave unwinding it. Then we heard a sort of shout. It was Purple Chief holding a sling in a single hand. He moved it quicker and quicker round his head.
Simply then I heard a heavy sound and a deep breath from Invoice. A rock the dimensions of an egg had hit him simply behind his left ear. Invoice fell within the hearth throughout the frying pan of sizzling water for laundry the dishes. I pulled him out and poured chilly water on his head for half an hour.
Then I went out and caught that boy and shook him.
“In case your habits would not enhance,” says I, “I am going to take you straight dwelling. Now, are you going to be good, or not?”
“I used to be solely funning,” says he. “I did not imply to harm Outdated Hank. However what did he hit me for? I am going to behave for those who do not ship me dwelling.”
I assumed it greatest to ship a letter to outdated man Dorset that day, demanding the ransom and telling the way it needs to be paid. The letter mentioned:
“We have now your boy hidden in a spot removed from Summit. We demand fifteen hundred for his return; the cash to be left at midnight tonight on the identical place and in the identical field as your reply.
In case you agree to those phrases, ship the reply in writing by a messenger tonight at half previous eight o’clock. After crossing Owl Creek, on the street to Poplar Cove, there are three massive timber. On the backside of the fence, reverse the third tree, can be a small field. The messenger will place the reply on this field and return instantly to Summit. In case you fail to comply with our demand, you’ll by no means see your boy once more. In case you pay the cash as demanded, he can be returned to you protected and effectively inside three hours.”
I took the letter and walked over to Poplar Cove. I then sat across the put up workplace and retailer. An outdated man there says he hears Summit is all anxious due to Ebenezer Dorset’s boy having been misplaced or stolen. That was all I needed to know. I mailed my letter and left. The postmaster mentioned the mail provider would come by in an hour to take the mail on to Summit.
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At half previous eight, I used to be up within the third tree, ready for the messenger to reach. Precisely on time, a half-grown boy rides up the street on a bicycle. He finds the field on the foot of the fence. He places a folded piece of paper into it and leaves, turning again towards Summit.
I slid down the tree, bought the notice and was again on the collapse a half hour. I opened the notice and skim it to Invoice. That is what it mentioned:
“Gents: I obtained your letter concerning the ransom you ask for the return of my son. I feel you’re a little excessive in your calls for. I hereby make you a counter-proposal, which I consider you’ll settle for. You convey Johnny dwelling and pay me 200 and fifty , and I comply with take him off your fingers. You had higher come at evening as a result of the neighbors consider he’s misplaced. And, I couldn’t be liable for what they might do to anyone they noticed bringing him again. Very respectfully, Ebenezer Dorset.”
“Nice pirates of Penzance!” says I, “of all of the nerve…” However I checked out Invoice and stopped. He had probably the most interesting look in his eyes I ever noticed on the face of a dumb or speaking animal.
“Sam,” says he, “what’s 200 and fifty , in spite of everything? We have the cash. Another evening of this boy will drive me loopy. I feel Mister Dorset is making us a superb provide. You are not going to let the possibility go, are you?”
“Inform you the reality, Invoice,” says I, “this little lamb has bought on my nerves, too. We’ll take him dwelling, pay the ransom and make our get-away.”
We took him dwelling that evening. We bought him to go by telling him that his father had purchased him a gun and we had been going to hunt bears the following day.
It was twelve o’clock after we knocked on Ebenezer’s entrance door. Invoice counted out 200 and fifty into Dorset’s hand.
When the boy realized we had been planning to depart him at dwelling, he began to cry loudly and held himself as tight as he might to Invoice’s leg. His father pulled him away slowly.
“How lengthy are you able to maintain him?” asks Invoice.
“I am not as robust as I was,” says outdated Dorset, “however I feel I can promise you ten minutes.”
“Sufficient,” says Invoice. “In ten minutes, I shall cross the Central, Southern and Center Western states, and be working for the Canadian border.”
And, as darkish because it was, and as fats as Invoice was, and nearly as good a runner as I’m, he was a superb mile and a half out of Summit earlier than I might meet up with him.
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ANNOUNCER:
You’ve gotten heard the American Story “The Ransom of Purple Chief” by O. Henry. Your storyteller was Shep O’Neal. This story was tailored into Particular English by Shelley Gollust. It was produced by Lawan Davis. Hear once more subsequent week for an additional American Story in VOA Particular English. I am Religion Lapidus.
