The National tribune., 1888-05-17

Dyer's Hotel, an if he's busted he's sober.
Round him up, anyway"
"All right / Will So long"
See you agin fore you hit the breezef"
" / reckon"
$50 long
The Rev. Mr.. Noyes proved to be reasonably
sober, and accepted the strangers invitation to
drink with alacrity.
You're preacher, ANT you?" said Jim.
81 have that honor. | am glad to look like
il. Malicious men have limited that my pres
ence was not too clerical. Mine, sir, has been
a chequered career-monk, spiritualist, niger
minstrel and canine surgeon -
Not interruptin'-do you want a couple of
twenties?" asked jim, displaying the coins in
question with ingenious sagacity.
The Rev. Mr.. NOyes abruptly deposited his
lumber on the bar, and answered, should
smilel"
kin dicker with you, straight?"
GO ahead"
First of, preacher, my names Jim Mason,
Half Circle Cross outfit l don't make no six
shooter plays, and l don't set up to be no bad
man from the Meteetsi country, but this IS
money I'm going 10 talk to you, an if you ring
in any funny business you'll cough through
your ribs"
go ahead"
"Will You stop budgin' fer two or three days,
and take a trip out Fort Laramie way with
q
O. your tools, Bible and SIGH"
f." Go ahead"
My sister an her Teller wants to git mar
Tied. You're to meet EN- at an empty ranch
an hitch EN-"
shake"
"Only you see this Teller he has a grudge
agin' preachers. l reckon one of 'em sinched
him piayin' monte or sOmethin' an | might
have to hold him down, like, while You do the
marryim', SO he can't crawl your hump"
a." think we understand each other, Mr.. Ma
SON"
"All right. I'm going to sleep with you to-
night, SOS to know you amt a drinkin', an we
want to start about halfpast 81 got to do
little somethin here first"
Don't you want TO buy wedding ring?"
Yes, reckon I do"
"Sell you the ticket for one cheap. Uncle
Jake's got it, down by the railroad"
" Fix that in the mornin'. Come to bed now.
] amt slep' in sheets fer a tarnation time I'll
git you stiddy horse TO ride out, preacher"
When the Rev. Mr.. Moves dismounted at
Mountain Lion ranch next day he was weary
and bruised, but cheerful. Quiet sort of place.
this" he remarked. You mightnt think it,
Mr.. Mason, but l was once hermit. / set up
a cell about three miles out of San Francisco,
and people used TO drive out there with offer
ings. In the flush times that was, and I've
had as many as four boxes Of cigars brought to
me in one day
50 You wouldn't drive much Nv a trade here"
said jim, grimly. gu see this cabins on Y
used when the outfit gifts round here on the
calf gather, and wants the corrals to brand in.
Used 10 keep a Tanchman here to hinder fellers
from buruin the corTals for firm, bat it's so ont
O the way they don't do il now. ] got the hotel
folks to put up 10 lunches in this sack-one NV
'em Is fur the gal, but you kin tackle the bal
ance. I'll git fire in the stove fur you, an
then ! got to light out again. You JUS eat an
pound yer ear till ! stir you up agin to-moT'.
IF anybody comes along tell 'em you got small
poX an run 'em of. Reckon you won't be
! bothered. Give me that flask out O. your coat
/ fust-'d yer think | wasn't onto it? Well,
/ Their amt nough there to git tight on, guess.
/ So long, preacher"
] At midnight jim reached Burton's ranch,
! turned his tired and hungry pony into the pas
( ture and picked his way into the bunk-room
1 through the group ofbeds about the door. Hairy
/ Nike who was sleeping by the stove, rolled
/ over and saluted him with: Z" You back again
! Stampede over there?"
Stampede nuthin.' Where's them waddies
beds that went over with me2
"In the corner where them brides is
( bangin' ;" and Nike went to sleep again. while
Jim unstrapped and rolled out a bed
In the morning he waited about the CORA
until he saw Scranton, and then said: Say
4 Plugtooth was il you was wanting ter buy the
| black horse o French Charley 's-the one as h'
broke ter leap fencesf"
Yes"
Wen, eff you're kind O slick about it you
kin git him fer fifty. French owes me som,
dust an got to git it. He's over ter Mount
ain Lion with the horse now; If you kin, come
right over an I'll git him to dieker. On'y h.
don't want none O this Burton gang TO know
nothin' bout il till the horse is sold. ii
owes the ole man some stuff, b'licve."
Scranton's eyes glistened-the black hors
was worth a hundred; and he hastily saddle
a pony. They rode over 10 Mountain Lion to
gether, Jim's horse beginning TO need the spu
toward the end Of the journey. Entering tn
corral they dismoumted, and as Scranton wa
about TO pull the knot out Of HE ladigo Jin
Mason tossed the loop Of his rata over til
dudes" shoulders, drawing il up so tina
Scranton's arms were pinioned at his sides.
"Quit your fooling?" said Scranton, surlily
ITS your foolin / calkilate to stop. Plug
TOOTH" replied jim, as he drew Scranton's pi.
to from its scabbard and stuck it in his ow
belt. Then he wound the raw hide rope rOun
his hand, close up to the houdoo, and led h
captive into the log house.
Got some c0mp'ny for ye, preacher"
Delighted" said the Rev. Mr.. Noyes. "A
the i6cum teaels Of the diocesan Of Mountai
+ Lion, welcome you to its cloisters my youn
{ friend"
Are yoR one Of the gang?" snarled Scral
! ton. So you've turned roa5 agent, Jim NJ
, son. Take the 80 and let me go-youre ne
{ at the business"
Jim plucked open the stove door with h
spurred heel and thOughtlully spat in the FIR
J Violent language, my SOM" exclaimC
4 Noycs. II you are sincerely curious as to Il
j purpose Of my presence here, don't mind tel
ing you that / am here to sOlemnize-a funera
and that you are about the size Of corpse 7
7 quired."
! Jim looked up sharply, whistled line
Z 90 Never Take the Horseshoe from the Door
S opened the stove door with the other he
pursed up his mouth tentatively, hesitate
kicked the door in place again, and said
If d" Ez TO the 80, I'll take il when / want
q PlugtoOth. liz to my hayin' turned road ager
/. ! amt So sure what l ber turned"
= 4" Are you both crazyE"
80 Oh, no. PIugtooth; we amt been eatin'
p loco. Look here, you're goin' to be left alo
n here with this gen Pman, am you're gOin' to
q tied up which he amt Now, Piugt0oth, l 9
4 a notion he's the sort o omery chap thet If v
\ sass him win knock the stufiin' out o you
long ez yer tied up. An if / was you, I'd
n kinder perlite, / would
i Scranton sW0Te savagely, and the Rev y
Noyes expressed his reprobation Of the practi
Of profanity.
d 90 No nse worryin' him, preacher" said il
10 Now I'm g0in' 10 tie him down on I'll
bench, an then I've got to quit you one VIII
p Here's his bon preacher am if he wriggIcs