Jack and His Seven Foes — page 83: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

TA Makepeace Jibber, a long lanky rufhan, a bully, or whatever answered his turn. He had led a roving life, and had left his mark out San Francisco way, but just now he was what he called resting, and having taken a house, opened a | whisky-saloon, and let beds. He soon had birds of the same colour with him, and Jibber’s saloon was soon known to the police. They knew it too well to go near or interfere much with it. Passing this place, the Swaggerer saw that it would do. Makepeace Jibber, after a brief interview, accepted them as lodgers. ‘And why?” he said. ‘Let me be candid, for I am acandid man: I accept you because you are not blessed with pride or money,” “We are not,” said the Panther. “And your game,”’ continued Jibber, ‘61s to live as long as you can at a place, and then skedaddle. See, I know you.” As this had been in the minds of the Swaggerer and his friends, they looked a little sheepish, but Makepeace Jibber laughed. ‘“T’m cute,” he said, “‘ and I’m candid. i take you in because I want some men, and you'll suit, I think. What do I wan't youfor? Don’t ask the question, but have a drink.” They asked no questions, and took up their abode with Jibber, and led a lively time, of a sort, with him. On the night when Jack’s life was attempted, a merry party had gathered round the hospitable board of Mr. Makepeace Jibber, in his own private room. The apartment was kept very select, and strong objections were made if strangers attempted to enter. Above all there was an antipathy to the company of the police. The party numbered perhaps a dozen, and there was not one man among them whose hands had not taken the life of a fellow-creature. | Some, like the Panther and the Swag- gerer, had a host of deadly sins upon their heads. Makepeace Jibber sat at the head of the table, with the Swaggerer on his right, and the Panther on his left. tle had proved them of the right colour, and declared ‘he loved them. — JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. ee ee em The Pantaloon sat a little lower down, quietly drinking himself into a state of forgetfulness, the only state which per- mitted him to be at all happy. The Sneezer had gone to another part of the town with a message from Make peace Jibber to a brother rascal, and was expected back every moment. “Lads, one and all,’ said Jibber, rising, ‘‘a word with you.” “Silence! ’’ roared the Swaggerer, rapping the table. His face was flushed with drink, his eye insolent, and his air that of a bully. “Of course he must say some,’ sneered one of the men at the other end of the table. | ‘“‘ Lads,” said Jibber, “‘ you know me, and I think I know you, and I think it’s time I made my plans clear to you, for I’m an open-fisted man, and don’t lke sneakings.”’ He paused, and his listeners rattled their knuckles upon the table, crying, ‘Hear, hear !”’ ““We are men who don’t lke reg’lar work,’ Jibber went on. “ We ain't born to it.” ‘© Hear, hear ! ”’ ‘“‘ And it isn’t in our line while money is to be made any other way.” The ‘‘ hear, hears ”’ were loud at this, and Jibber paused and smiled hke a man who had said a good thing, but wished to be modest over it. : “Our line is more in the way of easing others of what must be a burden to ’em, and when they rile up and begin to argue, we settle the thing right off. That’s our ticket, I think.” | “The ticket, and no other,’ was the answer. “ But cities ain't the place for us to work in.” ““ No, no.” ‘““A lot of busybody people get inter- fering, and the police—”’ “ Down with the police !”’ “No; we do thus,” said Jibber; “‘ we don’t waste our precious energies on — them, but go farther afield.” ‘“‘ Hivery place is worked in this State too free,’ said one man, gloomily. “This State 1s nothing,” said Make- peace Jibber. ‘‘ But far away beyond, there’s a road that’s worked a bit, but not worked properly, and that’s the over- land route to San Francisco.” CONMIGMOOKS.cOnn =