Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-10-21

dead shot, Bud never missed unless he
wanted TO, and / had Il craving for
vengeance that was only aggravated by
a gentler passion
What happened in the next few min
utes can only be explained by the story
which Bud afterward told with series
of chucklcs and an occasional wheezy
laugh that seemed to eXpend most of its
force internally.
81 knowed all the time" he de-
clared, THAT Jim Bumper wouldn't
play no square game when the stakes
was so high, so I c'luded fur to take
han myself. l went over an smoked a
pipe an had council of war with big
Bill Planters. Me an Bill ulster be
pardners. He has a mighty likely dar
ter, an Jim had been shinin round her,
lettin on she was bout the kind O. wife
he was lookin fur. When | tole Bill
how things was shapin up here to the
ranch, l had to fairly put hobbies on
him fur to keep him frum goin right
was mad chin deep, but showed him
a fist full O. trumps
''The upshot was we makes late
call on Hank RUNNERS. Both me an
Bill has saved Hanks scalp mum 'rous
times, an he'd try fur to stan off satan
himself if we'd intermate we wanted it.
Mex day Hank hires out to Jim Bump
er, an it hain't long till them two is
thicker than two brothers Hank never
mentions no gal by name, but he allus
says she was the sweetest critter what
ever picked posies from the parary, an
why didn't Jim jist rope her on the
sly, run her off an marry her. A game
man could do it, an there'd be no trou-
BILE squarin up with the ole man AFTER
ward.
Jim gifts up his sand an agrea
Hank guaranteein to give the gal some
sleepin medicine an have her in ham
mock back O. the gin rails house, but
there mus be no brace game. Jim mus
marry the gal soon's he could git to u
parson Or a squire, or he must settle
would stan by him 'gainst whole army
O. rustlers, if it kim to that kind O. u
show down.
"When this 'greement was all made,
Hank gallops over an tells me an Bill,
an we tells him fer to go ahead an have
Jim run off the prize. One O. us would
be at the round up.
When the pursuing party came with
in easy range Of Jim Bumper, we saw
there We're two horsemen instead of one.
When the generals voice rang out Il
"Halt" one Of the men faced his horse
toward us and threw up his hands Jim
swung himself in the saddle, laid the
girl tenderly by the side Of the trail
aud struck the spurs into his painting
horse. The general fired, but jim
plunged ahead. | took careful aim and
pulled, but shout of defiance from Jim
was the only result, for we were using
blank cartridges without knowing it.
Then old Buds long rifle gave forth its
whiplike report, and the retreating
horse went down, while his rider pitch
ed headlong to the ground 1t was with
the greatest difficulty that we prevent
ed the general from doing some more
shooting, especially when he discovered
that Jim's companion was Hank, whom
the general had done many favor.
''Durn me, if this haint Bill Plant
ers' galv' shouted Bud as he lnelt by
the side Of the trail.
Course it is, snorted Hank
"That's her, an they won't be none of
you gents walkin round tomorrer what
says it hain't her. Jim Bumper wanted
her fur his wife, an she wanted him.
an I greed to see 'em through. When |
gins my word, there hahn t nothin less
an a bullet goin to make me out liar
There's goin fur to be weddin or a
few 'ristocratic funerals.
When Jim discovered that he had
really carried off the wrong woman, he
began to buster, swear and deny, but
when he felt Hanks gun at one ear and
old Bud s at the other, while the latter
told that ''me nor Hank won't see no
shame put pom darter O. Bill Plant
ers, as has allus been our pard, he
wilted, went meekly back with us and
sat down to breakfast a married man.
And a charming little wife she that
was Miss Planters made him. Indeed,
as old Bud put it, she jist coaxed all
that sneakin meanness out O. Jim an
made him bout as decent a critter as
you gen rally see i'll double harness. y
When Kitty and | were married, Mr..
and Mrs. Jim were both at the wedding,
and for the first time since the kid
mapping" he had a talk with Bud.
cold fellow" he said, ''you rung in a
cold deck Oh me, but was a winner
after all and there's no grudge. I git
even with big Bill by calling him
grandpa now, and Hank don't find time
to do much but roll around with the
baby. detroit Free Press.
Vol Of a1i