The National tribune., 1904-06-23
(Collier's Weekly.)

coal fields, which. with its motley coilec-
tion of diminutive alkali-covered houses,
feposes in squat:. and painful fortitude
among the unadorned sand heaps at the
foot of the big range.
1t had been Braddock's unpleasant duty
10 several times arrest man by the name
of Jim Blake, who, in an earnest desire to
rid his gaze of the shimmering green and
red and yellow and salmon-pink houses that
the company grants it's necessarily faith
full servants at a monthly rental of 81
or perchance to relieve the irksome same
ness of place that averages but one muir
der week, has but one game of poker, no
saloons, no dance halls, and no congenial
associates-used to get too full OF mine
whisky. And then would he create within
his alcohol-elated bosom belief that once
again had returned the halcyon days when
shooting up a town was regarded as leglti-
mate an amusement as is shaking for the
drinks now.
Jim Blake was not bad man. in the
commonly accepted significance of the term !;
merely was it his habit. now that the true
enjoyments of life had fled he knew not
where, to look too long upon the whisky
he was sober much of the time, for drunk
enness is very expensive if you have
strong stomach and live much out of doors)
his heart was in the right place, even
though many of it's faculties were dormant
and some debilitated by lack of use.
Blake didn't like being arrested. 1t hurt
his pride, and the camp lookup was most
uncomfortable; and then, too, it got monot-
OnOus and absolutely prevented his Keeping
whatever engagements he might make when
in liquor; for whens he had no bus
mess whatever and made no appointments.
Like many another man, he borrowed trou-
Bile only when drunk.
1t was not long after little Emeline
Loretta, Rube's sisters child, came to live
with her uncle at FL Toro that Blake, as
was his nightly custom, betook himself to
s"The Snake" for so the cOmpanys saloon
was called. and there partook OF sundry
potations of the companys whisky.
As his legs grew unsteady and his tongue
thick, the shame, the discomfort, and the
monotOny of being arrested appealed to him
exceeding strongly, and he made up his now
mucI-nuddled mind that he would arrange
matters SO that when next the authorities
should deem necessary repetition of that
only too familiar performance in which he
figured SO prominently, it would obtain at
the hands of different parties than hereto
fore; and, with this idea filling his buzzing
brain to the exclusion of all others, he
threw last quarter on the bar, imbibed
the last drink, and started for Rube's abode.
some years lulled the constable into sense
of security. delightful because hitherto un-
known, led him to neglect precautions that
had, in his early years, been considered
matter of vital necessity, and so it was
that when Blake entered alone and unan-
nouneed, Braddock sat near the fire with
his back to the door and his gun on the
table.
with his Colts covering the constable,
Blake steadied himself against the door
post:
by you. Rube,s was his greeting. An the
mex time / git roped like a steer at a
roundup, it'll be by some other sport.
SavezY
SGoin' ter wipe me out, eh?' inquired
Rube careIessly, though fear was in his
heart. for Blake was drunk; and who can
tell the thoughts or acts of drunken man?
That's the play" agreed Blake GO cor. !,
you'll shore git strung up higher nor a
kite" stated Rube with positiveness that
he assumed. but did not feel.
Don't care a cuss," rejoined Blake, AN
mebbe not. I've got leetle buckskin
cayuse hyar wot kin piroot aroun' like a
frightened kiote. an IL Civ um chase
won't do ye no good" said Rube.
they'll git ye."
"Mebbe So" again agreed Blake. "But
I might jes' as well be in heaven as in
Jail all the time. I'm a gin'rous cuss:
SO I'll allow you 10 minutes ter make a
will an say yer prayers. cud do all that
IN three an still hev time fer a smoke.
I'm gin'rous cuss, though" he continued,
In maudlin repetition, "an' so Ill give
yer TO-"
"Hey a drink" advised Rube, hoping to
divert BIakes attention.
mo. thank'ee." politely refused the lat
ter, I'm on business this time. not pleas
ure. Wen I'm through hyar III hev eight
or 10, mebbe ID, but no nose paint for me
until this hyar unpleasant but necessary
jooty has been performed"
There was another pause. Blake spun the
cylinder of his Colts.
You'd better git a move on" he admon-
ished; you amt got such heap o time
Ief"
With every faculty bent on finding a
way out of his predicament, Rube drew a
sheet of paper from across the table.
SCOT pencil!" he asked of the unsteady
figure beside the doorpost.
Not lowering his gun for an Instant
Blake with his fumbling left hand took
tossed 1t upon the table.
9uch obliged acknowledged Rube.
Don menshun it," politely replied
Blake. EFF you wuzn't a-goin' ter die SC
durn quick Id be graterhed an delighted
ter have yer keep it. But pencils aim,
no use whar you're a-goin'."
The constable wrote his last will and tes
lament All save his six-shooter (now
alas! so far out of reach) and a gallon
jug of 12-year-old whisky he left to little
Emeline Loretta.
These. he judged, and rightly, would bs
OF but little use TO lady.
In the old days of the West. men livet
cheerfuliy and died cheerfully, killed cheer
fully and were killed cheerfully, and though
Blake's manner was friendly, Rube fel
that his chances of seeing the sun of tn
morrow were as of beholding the moon o
yesterday. So he wrote and wrote Will
Blake fingered his Colts and watched witt
bleared eyes the little nickel-pla ted alarm
clock that stood stolidly ticking away upo
the mantel.
Two minutes had passed. Three came an
went and four. and five. and neither spoke
and nov six minutes We're gone, and sever
and eight. and the hand was on the ninth
Blake slowly cooked his gun. Rube thre,
the pencil upon the table. It rolled acros
the paper covered with it's scrawlin,
blurred lines. and dropped upon the fool
The constable looked up.
"Ain't yer a-goin' ter give me time te
pray?" he asked.
You used up too dam much time wri
In, an my insides is feelin' as dry as ti
Red Desert. An, anyhow, some sky-pilot'