A Romance of Billy-Goat HillRice, Alice Caldwell Hegan
General
A Romance of Billy-Goat Hill
Rice, Alice Caldwell Hegan
Kentucky -- Fiction
In a blaze of wrath Chick dealt it a sounding blow with the crowbar,
then crouched in terror for what might happen. There was no sound but
the dash of rain against the windows, and the heavy rumble of thunder
overhead. Once more Chick grasped his heavy weapon and began the attack
in earnest. Blow followed blow, as fast as his small arms could swing
the crowbar. Suddenly a spring seemed to snap, and out poured a stream
of money that rolled about his feet, and off into the farthest corners
of the room.
Chick crouched on the floor, overcome by his exertions and the success
of his venture. Wealth was within his reach, more wealth than he had
ever dreamed of! Not unintelligible gold and silver, but dear, familiar
nickels, whose purchasing power he knew. But no thought of appropriation
crossed his mind as he knelt there, fingering the glittering pile. He
was carefully counting out his rightful share, the eleven nickels that
the slot machine had stolen from him, and his hesitation came from the
fact that he was trying to select the shiniest ones!
Having gotten what he came for, he once more shouldered his crowbar,
and let himself out into the dark passage. Here he stopped in terror!
Something was snorting and hissing without, something that sounded as if
it _might_ be the Devil!
In Chick's creed there was but one affirmation. He believed absolutely
in the Devil. He knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was red,
and cloven-footed and that his tail ended in a hard, sharp, spike, like
Mammy Flathers' ice-pick. He also knew that when he breathed, it was in
groans and hisses, such as he was hearing at the present moment. Chick's
hair would have risen on his head, it wanted to, but it was not long
enough.
For a moment he stood breathless, then he drew a sigh of relief. It
wasn't anything but an automobile after all! He tiptoed to a window
and peered out. The lamps from the machine threw long lights across the
shining wet street, but nothing else was visible.
After a long while he heard voices at the side door. Somebody was coming
into the saloon! He could hear the doorknob turning, and a key in the
latch. He started back to the barroom, then remembering a little closet
under the steps where he and Skeeter used to play, he felt along the
wall. There it was! And just in time for him to stumble in and pull the
door to, leaving enough crack to breathe through, in case his breath
ever came back.
The side door was flung open, and the sputter of a match was followed by
the feeble light from a gas-jet at the end of the passage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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