WrittenbyO.Henry
Now,theVOASpecialEnglishprogram,AMERICANSTORIES.
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Wepresenttheshortstory"TheRansomofRedChief"byO.Henry.HereisShepO'Nealwiththestory.
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STORYTELLER:
Itlookedlikeagoodthing.ButwaittillItellyou.Weweredownsouth,inAlabama&ndashBillDriscollandmyself&ndashwhenthiskidnappingideastruckus.Therewasatowndownthere,asflatasapancake,andcalledSummit.BillandIhadaboutsixhundreddollars.WeneededjusttwothousanddollarsmoreforanillegallanddealinIllinois.
Wechoseforourvictim--theonlychildofaninfluentialcitizennamedEbenezerDorset.Hewasaboyoften,withredhair.BillandIthoughtthatEbenezerwouldpayaransomoftwothousanddollarstogethisboyback.ButwaittillItellyou.
AbouttwomilesfromSummitwasalittlemountain,coveredwithcedartrees.Therewasanopeningonthebackofthemountain.Westoredoursuppliesinthatcave.
Onenight,wedroveahorseandcarriagepastoldDorset'shouse.Theboywasinthestreet,throwingrocksatacatontheoppositefence.
"Heylittleboy!"saysBill,"wouldyouliketohaveabagofcandyandaniceride?"
TheboyhitsBilldirectlyintheeyewithapieceofrock.
Thatboyputupafightlikeawildanimal.But,atlast,wegothimdowninthebottomofthecarriageanddroveaway.
Wetookhimuptothecave.Theboyhadtwolargebirdfeathersstuckinhishair.Hepointsastickatmeandsays:
"Ha!Paleface,doyoudaretoenterthecampofRedChief,theterroroftheplains?"
"He'sallrightnow,"saysBill,rollinguphispantsandexaminingwoundsonhislegs."We'replayingIndi