Bennington banner and reformer. (Bennington, Vt.) 1903-19??, 1903-10-29
PROFIT AND Loss
[originaLl

stone county and l KEEP store there.
sold 'em goods and trusted 'em when
they hadn't no money for you kin
trust two kinds o. people-them as is
honest and them as is at open war
with the rest o. the world. It's the
middle classes that beats you. There
was one on 'em-the outlaws, mean
that I didn't want around, for he'd
carried things too far and there was
a price set on his head. That was
Dandy Jim. Dandy Jim's head was
worth $1,000 TO any man that could
git the drop on him.
was always a-hgurin' how could
git him in a trap and git the reward.
There wasn't no use In tryin to do the
Job in an ordinary way, for Jim was
as cool as a cucumber and slicker n
creased pole. I'd have to lx some
way o. gittin a pint ahead. What l
wanted was a confederate; some one to
do the shootin' while did the foolin'.
One day a young woman come TO my
place and wanted to work In my store.
tole her didn't want woman, but
she said she'd work for her board, and
after talkin' to my wife about It l en-
gagged her. She couh do most any
thing, but she was handiest about
keepin' my accounts. She must "a
been a schoolmarm, for one day she
took account O. stock and figured up
and told me 'xactly what l was wOth.
"If / could git Dandy jim" said
10 her, "and turn him in dead or alive
I'd be wo'th $1,000"
"But they say Dandy Jim's a hard
man TO take" she said.
Maybe he'll come around here some
day and I'll try IT"
How would you manage itT
'Tf ! know'd he was a-cOmin' I'd
post some un outside to cover him.
Then il he got the drop on me I'd sig
nal the outsider to shoot him"
what kind of a signal would you
give7 He'd shoot you before you
could make any signs"
"Well, he'd likely tell me to throw
up my hands, and that would be as
good a signal as any"
you're purity smart, she said. Il
didn't give you credit for so much
sense"
One day the gal tole me that the
stock was a-gittin' low, and II she was
me she'd sell the balance and go and
Law In a complete new outfit She was
SIGH a good business woman that l
did whatever she said, and / got up q
"sale" and cleaned out everything. II
fetched just 81 200 In money, and with
this concluded to put in the new out
fl. The day before | went away 1 rode
out to collect debt Of so. / bad a
safe in which l KEEP the $1,000 on
hand and didn't worry about II, for
none o. the outlaws could open 1t and 1t
was too heavy for EN- To carry away.
The gal tOle me might s well leave
her the combination in case any one
wanted any bills paid, but l was too
sharp for that. Not that l doubted her
honesty. but that some o the outlaws
might come along and force her to
open It,
Well. l got my $50. and when was
a-ridln' up to the store see the gal
a-comin' excited-ike TO meet me.
Whats up7' says l.
DANDY Jim's there waitin' for you"
"Humph," says l. What's he goin'
to do with me2 Kill meT'
"Oh. no; he won't kill you. II you
was dead who'd open the safe"
Il see"
you might do what you said you
would II he came"
What was thatY
Have some one cover him when you
60 in and when he tells you to throw
up your hands shoot him"
There isn't man about the place
Reckon I'll do I'm as good a shot
as any man"
Well, posted her at winder with
a rifle right where she could see the
man. then walked into the house and
the room where Dandy Jim was asset.
tin. "Howdy, Jim l says. "Howdy,"
says he. "Jim," says l, there's $1,000
offered for you. Reckon | might as
we'll have II as any one" How you
] goin' to git ltY he answers, "Well,
1 there's two ways, One is dead and
the others alive-whichever you pre-
fer" 81 prefer dead" says he, land
conslderln I've got my hand on my
gun thinks it's you that's dead. I'll
, trouble you TO throw up your hands"
IF / does that" l says, the drops
I on you, seem got a pal posted out
side the winder to shoot you as soon
! as l raise an arm 1t is a signal"
YOU'RE mighty SMART he says. ITS
only takin' time by the forelock," says
( l. '"Who have you got outsider zone
I o. the best shots in Arizona. though
nothin' but a woman" Yes, and
mighty smart II she is a woman"
! How do you know that?" Because
she's my wife sent her here to git
you to turn your stock into cash, then
she sent for me to take it in" us that
the game asked, cold chill runnin'
down my spine. you can find out"
he says, IF your throw up your
, hands" 'T1l do IT," says l, "and II