Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-09-23

Chicago Record.

stable. When the pony was tied again
they climbed the bank still in silences but
when they reached the corral Fuller stop
ped and laid his hand on the others arm.
.You might as well tell me about ii now,
Lon. ne said Its eatfn' you, an it's
been eatin' you a long while, l judge.
What's the troubie?'
There amt nothin the trouble said
Boggs, sitting down as he spoke. Did
you bring that tobacco out with your
Fuller handed him the sack. Any of
the Little Missouri dogies on your trail?''
he persisted.
If they was they'd have got me afore
now" said Boggs. See here. Lem, if
there was anythin' of that kind, don't you
reckon I'd tell your"
He struck a match as he spoke and
lighted his cigarette, and Fuller looked
curiousiy ii his lean, brown face in the
light that shone on it from the doubled
hands shielding the fame.
In few minutes Fuller tried him again.
"Or is it a woman?' he asked.
Boggs shifted his extended foot I'M
easily. We'll, there's more truth than
poetry about that he owned. after a
pause. Il reckon, as you say, l might as
we'll tell you about it,.
Take your time said Fuller pre-
sently.
That derned fool Scotty nearly called
the turn. said Boggs; but he missed it
some. 1t was girl back in Salina county,
all right; but l never knowed her until
got back there. Then as soon as l seen
her l hnow'd what d been iackin' al my
life.
Yes, sir. an I put all my stack on be-
right there. An L win AT least / thought
! win. It's there yet doublin' up or else
sweep off'n the table, fer | couldn't cash
in an quit, as I've done afore-not in
million years. Lem, I'd give my hend to
know how l stand to-day. It's year
\sence l seen her, an it seems ike it was
lifetime. She's pullin', pullin' at me all
the time, night an day, and / can't find
rest nor ease nowhere Right now I'm in
the notion to go back an five minutes
from now say to myself: You're locoed,
Lon Boggs, you're plum crazy to think of
a woman that don't care two whoops
about you one way or another. Or If she
does, it's to hope you'll stay away
Il think you must be locoed, too" said
Fuller, You need guardian if you want
to go back, when she feels that way about
YOU"
Lat she don't" said Boggs, eagerly.
Il know she don't. She couldn't, after
what she's said to me, an after-no wo-
man could-an' yet l don't know You
remember what you said awhile back:
She thinks that there's only one man
while he's Johnny -on-the-spot.' That
was ple. That's what I'd want to be all
the time. l guess she got tired 1 run
1t into the ground. But | couldn't help
it.
+ Just to be near her an watch her an
her pretty ways-the turn of her head. an
her smile. I've thought of EN- every hour
for this year. Yes, I'm locoed all right.
Course | couldn't help it, an when she
told me she loved me an | was the only
one, how was | to know that there was
any need to-"
why didn't you get down to cases?''
asked Fuller
Il did, answered the despairing lover
L thought l was all right l was going
to buy little business in the town an
settle down, but there was opposition"
Another hombre took chips?"
Another! There was more than you've
got fingers and toes, an she smiled on EN-
all. That was where / laid down 1 guess
she didn't understand how it was She
was high low, jack an the game to me-
There wasn't another card in the deck /
wanted TO fill my hand. But she would
draw to- me every round, an l couldn't
stand for it. l made the bluff that if she
wanted to make that play quit cold'
Did she call your"
Sure thing! L was a derned fool TO
make it, but if l had it to do again. I'd
do it. What would / want with a girl
that L wasn't enough for? All the same |
was a fool 1t ought to have been enough
for me Just to take my turn an set
around an look at her. | was fool to
think that a girl like her would want to
tie to a waddy like me. | b'lieve after all,
though, she would have an she was
square. do one minute an the next L
don't When it come TO a showdown. /
wasn't there. Jever wear one Of these
mustard plasters next to your hide an grit
you teeth an wonder how much longer
you could stay with it? That's the way
it is with me What'd you do If you was
me, Lem?"
~ YOU want me 10 tel you =! asked
uller, rising. I'm tell you, then. I'd go
back an find out how the game stood an
make up my mind to take the best | could
get without kickin'. Or I'd take stout
grass rope an hunt a likely tree AS near
as ! can stack it up, the girl will miss
trouble If you leave her alone A man
has got to have horse sense to make a girl
happy. Little Mercedes would suit you.
That's the kind Of woman you want-a
Mexican woman
'How is she?1 asked Boggs, with mark
ed carelessness.
AS pretty IS ever, an she haint forgot
Lonzo Boggs. She asks me every time /
go down to the hacienda whether I've had
any word from you. What made you
drift down here, Lon?"
7 wanted to see you boys again an l
happened to meet Barker"
You're derned liar" declared Fuller,
with emphasis. You're derned liar an
a derned fraud. You came down here to
hunt up Mercedes. On the square. now?''
We'll, maybe l did" owned Alonzo.