The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-07-09


but eff you've got any forty-fve cart
ridges things II begin ter bloom agin.
I've Winchester. but it amt bin no
coed snce / run outer ammunition. an
eff l hedn't fixed up ing.a fAsh.on Id a
gone nigh ter starVin'."
An I'm clean starved already. but
/ kin load yer up with blue pills an per-
pulsive power. You bet l hang onter
'em when | found wher l war comm
out. Now whar's yer beefsteak an
inyuns?"
This way pard. You warn't look
in round very close or you'd smoked
me. sure.
Without hesitation higgins followed
his newlv-made friend and was rejoiced
to find that they had not far to 60. and
that the way over the frozen crust was
nota all difficult. The stranger had eS-
tablished his winter quarters under an
overhanging rock. in front OF which.
and at each end rude wall had been
erected.
liver yer are" he said, as he led
the way in. "Ther fire amt out yit,
and I've got enough grub left over from
ter start yer while | m lixin' more. Link
in. Theirs a ch'i'ce Ov bar, goat an
deer. EFF yer ken take EN- 'thout salt.
IF yer can 't-good mornin, mister Big
gins"
Il kin take 'em raw. Don't waste
time varnin'. l amt he'd er BITE fur
fprtv-eight hour. and then it war q
snged rabbit ez big Ell my fist. l could
a ea, SIX"
Sail in, then. liver Yer solid Diet,
tougA euuf ter stick to Their ribs, an
warranted not ter give dispepsy.'
Now yer shout" mumbled higgins,
with his mouth full. But | say, pard,
whats Yer name"
Il amt sure / need one, but eff yer
very anxious We kin call me Early Joe.
That's what ! sailed under at Ground
HOG City till they run me out.
higgins gave a nod TO Indicate that he
understood. As soon "a he got his
mouth half empty he @rowled:
MY case prezactly fuc hevin ssvs
kings an par Ov aces held out under
my knee. What was yOurn fur? Oy
course thar war a galoot dropped jest
afore they found them keards.'
" Nv. NCI Il Iliu III DIOlntE- IHdb
war jest what war the trouble at Ground
Hog. Their way things look now ain t
sure but what we'd done Ell well IF we d
stood Their storm. Mighty cold time
I've had on it, an things don't look
elegant, no way"
ANY show fur color liver when snow
breaks up? We're fust on Their ground
an EFF we make a strike we d be even"
That's the chance | am layin' fur.
I'm here now, an I've froze right on.
ter stay till it breaks up. 1t looks
mighty encoITagin', and since I've got a
pard it won't be so lonesum. We kin
worry through eff YOU don't mind run
min the chance ter lose wheel"
Jim higgins had run a good many
such chances in his time, and he didn' t
mind taking few more. The two
struck hands on it, and settled them
selves resolutely to their waiting game;
and so, waiting. the DAYS went by.
1t took a good deal of eNertiOn and
much stolid endurance to keep alive;
but the signs were good and they
held to their location, partly because
they had no place in view for which
they dare strike, but more because they
had hopes of finding rich di@gingS when
the snow melted and they had a chance
to prospect
Early Joe was an expert with the
bow, and they husbanded their ammu-
milton for an emergency. In one way
or another they made shift to get along
Some weeks passed; the SHOWS began to
81 - h.,
little valley which they had both reached
By the verieSt chance.
Il tell yer it's goin' ter be the rike
ov a lifetime" said higgins, aS they sat
together in the sunshine one afternoon.
In another week we kin OFT ter work
an eff we don t find color the first try l
can read signs.'
EFF we had Their tools" interpoSed
Joe. not half so enthusiastic. I've
Knowed men ter throw up after di"g;n'
a week; an Their next galloot lit right
on pocket Jest whar they'd let of.
What kin we dO?'
I'VE kin be diggin' out a bowl with
our knives. an eff it looked ez though
there were pay dirt round I'd throw
sand with my fingers. .. don Won git
down in Their mouth. Theirs big money
fur Us hyer. sure"
Eur somebody. mebbe; but luck
never comes nv way. Eff it cant do
any wusS for me, it'll send Shade Miller
along ter throw HE cold. l feel it in
my bones"
higgins had noticed that his partner
had been gloomy for a day or two, but
he asked no questions. and he asked
none now, only trying to make him
take a more hopeful view of the out
look, which, indeed, looked bright
enough to him.
Il hadn't Orter blame him either, "
continued Joe. speaking aloud. but
more to himself than to his partner
''Pugsey Miller war good little man;
heap sight too good ter 30 outer Their
wet in a SqGabble over the keards-an'
he a family man. too
How war it, Joe? Mebbe it would
do yer heart good ter tell Their story
Yer kin 'lieve me er not, jim, but
it war him ez started Their racket He
knowed / war gOin ter make Their pass
on EN-. an he palmed three aces right
on top when he made Their cut. | didn't
drop to it till | found what orter bin his
keardS in my hand. an I'd straddled
his blind. an it war straight poker. an
| knowed he had aces full.
Then | got bowling mad. and he
pulled an l pulled; an | war a Little
ther quicker. an when ther boys saw
Their cold meat they wanted ter Jump
me, an / got. tell yer, Jim. eff we do
make strike, I'm goin' ter send a
powerful big nest egg ter Pugsev's
widder, fur her an Their kid. See eff l
don't"
That's right, Joe: an I'll 90 anoth-