The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-08-26


that Z" the narrator concluded.
why, that Ag's woman, after all, !"
said Billy, ''and therefore sensitive about
her personal appearance What we want
to do is to convince her that no joke was
intended. Now isn't that SO, boys p
Everybody said something that meant
yes.
81 move" said one 'fhat Billy Wilk
be appointed convincin' committee.
He's the only camp that dar 90 into the
Spread Eagle ies now, 'thout casin' his
self in bilir iron. Oh, Ag won't hurt him
we all knows she's soft on Billy"
Nonsense" Billy interposed.
faint no nonsense, nuther. When
Ag keeps seprit bottle for Billy Wiki,
ies' cause he's got faint-hearted STUN
| mic, it's case o. clear gone on Billy
Wiki. So Billy's the man to send in to
squar US with Ag. Eli? Say Aye, if
I'm talkin' wise"
A roar of ayes" was decisive. Billy
| entered the Spread Eagle on his mission
/ of Cancellation.
Ag had not changed her attitude in
the slightest Her back was still against
the bar, and her sharply bent elbow
rested on it for support Her face was
yet hard with anger, but tears was
trickling down it, and she could not dash
them away SO quickly but that Billy saw
them.
"Wal, Billy Wiki" she said harshly,
''was you in the gang in maxim fun O
me?"
81 was with the boys in getting that
glass up from Frisco, certainly, he said;
but it wasn't done for sport, at all. 1t
was meant for sober, serious testimo-
NAL They hadn't the slightest notion of
joke"
She took down large lamp from the
wall, thrust it close to his face, and
gazed eagerly into his eyes.
''See hyar, Billy Wiki" she said, eff
you will look me squar in the face and
tell me so I'll believe ye. Thar amt
nothin' / wouldn't take on your word O.
honor, less you said wasn't the home
lest woman We ever seed, an likely We
mought even make me think ye'd some
whar come across an onsightlier critter
than ! be, if ye tried. Ye never lied to
me, Billy. We never told me that ye
cared snap O yer fingers for mess cause
yer don't. That's squar as die. consid-
erin that yer know love every hair in
yer head, Billy Wiki"
Billy had known it, as she said, but
nothing of the kind had ever been spoken
between them, and he did not find her
blunt avowel comfortable to receive.
"Oh, ye needn't blush" and she put
the lamp back in its place. II don't,
cause amt ashamed O lovin' We. Eff
ye told me ye cared durn fer me, then
We might blush, either for the first lie to
me, er fer shame that ye fell in love with
Ag, O. No Go. Shake, Billy"
His hand though hardened by toll,
was smaller than the one that gripped
it.
"We're good friends at all events" he
said.
"You kin bet; pards, if ye like, an
thar's no man in camp I'd ruther jim
hans with. "
She took the only bottle of good
whisky in the house from drawer under
the bar, half filled two glasses, clinked
her own against his, and emptied it in
half the time he was occupied in a SINH.
| ar occupation.
GLOW are you gettin' on with Kunnel
Oingleys daughter Nell ?"
Billy choked On the last swallow of his
whisky, and Ag's hand came down with
helpful thump on his back.
"G-Colonel Dingley-daughter Nell"
he sputtered
'Them's the biggest O. the words.
Take glass O. water. Ye didn't think
know'd it. Swaller some more water.
Thar amt thing ye do, Billy-thar
ain't an ounce of gold dust We lay by, OF
a headache We have, " button off yer
clothes-that I don't know it,. Did ye
spose that gals photograph could be in
your room an not light onto it? Be
We chokin' yet? Mebbe it's emoshing
makes you SO red. Wal, I axed We bout
the GAL"
'Tve no objection to telling you, Ag."
He drummed on the counter uneasily,
however, while she leaned over quite
composedly from the other side. ST
reckon am in love with Colonel Ding
ley's daughter, and shouldn't wonder
if she'd guessed it; but that is all, upon
my word It isn't strange that fellow
should let his heart go to the first pretty
girl that come into rough settlement
like this; and she-well, Ag, her hair is
so yellow, her eyes SO blue, her cheeks so
pink, her form SO fragile, and alto
gether-,"
$50 different from the only other wo-
man in No Co."
81 didn't say that, Ag."
"Well, it's burned sight more de-
scriptive than what ye did say. Go on,
Billy"
Give been doing some work for Col
onel Dingley, you know, over at the
new mill, and she's in the office a good
deal. That's where I've met her, and
that's oil there is of it."
He had no intention of telling Ag how
Men DlngIey, during the two months
she had been at No Go, had completely
enthralled him; how she had at times
seemed to invite him on, until he all but
avowed his love, and again had repealed
him with sudden reserve. He did not
fancy the mistress of the Spread Eagle
for a confidant; but she was not to be
put off.
'@That's all there is of it?" she echoed,
mockingly. "Be you a man? Have ye
axed her to marry your"
"No." sa d
''Then go straight as the Lord an
crooked pathl let ye to the Kunnel's
house, an put it to her far and squar.
Ye won't? Then yer fool. Whars
the gal as would say No to Billy Wilk?
| seen her a-lookin' at We t'other day,
when We warnt awares, an she loves
ye, B1ly-jes' as sure as do, an mebbe
ies' as much. Off with We, now-off
with We. p"
There were faces at the window. The
miners had grown impatient, and were
watching their ambassador in his con-
versation with Ag, though they could
not hear it. One of them ventured to
open the door.
tCome in, Bantam, said Billy, "and
bring the boys, Ag understands it now. :"
/ ''Whoo-oop. hooravi" shouted Ban
The whole party crowded noisily into
| the bar room.
"'Twas a misunderstanding. and I
apolygizes," said Ag heartily. whats
more, 1 sets 'em up. Ye can drink all We
want in the Spread Eagle twixt now and
i = L 4