The Washington times., 1903-02-22

J.
large city. and one does not know every
one in IL. cannot say that I ever met
Mr.. Twobefor there"
Nor Two by Four's father. either. /
suppose. nor his gal2'' continued Oakley.
Il didn't think you could have heard OF
them. for Two by -Four wasn't much OF
a society man. l Just had a little curl
Oaity 10 know a little more about him.
he's one OF my boys out here think
you'd be trife interested in him, too
II you'll Just come outside while I IN
ish work on my Job, I'll tell you some
more about him. and then we'll go down
I 20 the pens
As they went out the crippled boy who
! dId chores around Signor's was leading
the broncos down to the fenced pasture
to turn them out 70 feed
As Oakley climbed into the wagon.
Maybury ventured the remark that he
had an old friend out in this section Of
the country whom he had hopes to find
on this trip.
~Au right, - said Oakley, well hare no
| trouble fnding him for you. he can't be
/ far away at shearing time But let me
tell you about this here Two by -Four"
he went on. as he resumed his work
upon the coffin. He came in with his
/ band O. sheep day before yesterday
about noon. He got his mail and went
back there, over that bridge. and never
showed up to lodge. nor at the bar. all
that night
THAT don't seem 50 queer 20 you as
it does TO US, for he was a bully fellow,
and could have as jolly night at
roundup as any OF us But he kept
away from us all night About an hour
/ before sunup me and Hips went over to
see what allied him: and there we found
him walking up and down by that
/ furthest green spot you see over there.
and talking right out loud TO the angels.
We thought he'd gone crazy. but he
wouldn't come 10 camp. nor didn't want
US there: 50 we came back and kind O.
kept an eye on him yesterday from over
here.
About o'clock he came over to camp
and was the same old Two by Four
again. He drank as hearty as ever all
day till sundown. and at dark was play
ing cards as usual. You see. owed him
about $500 or so on this seasons work,
l q
had a good Iambin'. and the shear is
heavy. and he hadn't drawn a cent since
Christmas. So he was playing poker
with his I. o. Us on what was a comm
TO him. Somehow he was a playin' moro
| reckless than usual and IL wasn't cause
ne was any too full Il play, either. And
somehow. TOO, the lame boy. who led
your ponies OF. was doin' the winnin
mostly.
Now. had some curiosity TO see how
I Dolly Chats the chOre boy was playin
it so lucky. so goes around where /
could see Two by Four's hand and Dol
Iy's. too. and blamed II Two by Four
wasn't plsyin' right into Dolly's hand
all the timer shown him cards. an lay
in down. three aces to pair Of queens.
and Just everlastingly throwing his L o.
/ US into Dollys lap"
BY this time Oakley had let his ham
mer fall on the rough pine cohin, and
was delivering his narrative with ges-
/ ticulatiOns appropriate TO the interest
he showed. The strangers were becom-
ing absorbed in the strange scene. the
/ fitting stage, ard the earnestness OF the
! actOr-or actors. for Sisnor was taking
more or less important part in the
| tale
$50 I comes around and tells Signor, -
continued Oakley. and says !. What do
/ you sabe Two by Four is att And Sig
nor says he believes him crazy. You
see. sirs. the sun makes 'em go crazy
! sometimes out on the sand.
! Pretty soon Two by Four had all his
percentages bowed in. and Dolly was
about fourteen hundred TO the good.
Dolly was much queered as anyone.
and the other boys couldn't blame no
one. for Two by Four Was the biggest
loser and he wasn't kickin.
Wei. when Two by Four got up he
was sober as you are. mister. and he
says. says he: Now. boys. I'm busted.
but I guess Signor'n trust me for my
last drink says he And so we ali
drank around to Two by Four's better
luck. and just then Two by Four pulled
out his gun and says. Yes. here's to
Two by Four's better luckr But Shanks
sees as how he was going 70 shoot him
self, and he snatches the gun away
quicker'n a Jack rabbit could jump.
Then we all begins to roast Two by
Four First one ioshes him and then
another. I goes TO my haugin's and gets
my Winchester down. I takes out the
shells. and hands the gun TO Two by
Four, and says /. Here. Two by Four.
if you really wants TO Kill yourself. DO
it with a gun that's sure death. Don't
use any of them little popguns. but do
good job and then Signor says Don't
i Il in bar h. Il