Arizona republican., 1906-12-24

LOthario-he being so calamitously homely that it looked like a woman would go into hiding at sight of him Right there was where the old maI showed his ignorance of female human nature
 "Scotty was all feet. hands ant freckeis to look at, but his moral qual. ities stuck out SO insistent that wher you got to know his lack Of beauty didn't seem so glaring. He was sur, white all through. was Scotty. if h, wasn't no chrOmO. and when l see h, was fixing his young and tender affec- uons on Nita I felt plumb sorry fol him. The rest of us had had the fever In various stages and was convales- cent, except JackO. who was cook fol the outfit, and he didn't count. JackC was first rate cook, but he had tC get somebody to do his thinking-he having the non compos mentis bad
 As l said, the rest of us was able to set up and take our liquor regular but it looked like Scotty was just go- ing to pine away untimely. He was sure going the limit. One night ] comes into the bunk house and finds
 
 and signing pretty frequent.
 "'TOothache? l asked him. think ing to arouse him from his melancholy with gay and festive conversation. but he only looks at me sort of reproach- full and sight some more. Then I says 'Look-a-here, my lovelorn swain this is getting to be too much like a fu- neral round here. It's sure a whole lot wearing on the nerves to witness your continual grief. If you'll just say the word I'll get the drop on the old man and hold him up while you talk with him quiet and peaceable. It ain'I no ways likely he'll say bless you, my children says. but if you get it over and know the worst. maybe you'll be- gin to feel better
 "'No use said Scotty, "1t ain't the old man I'm afraid of-it's the girl
 Then l begins to see daylight and goes out and sets on a stump and does a lot of thinking. The next day I hangs around and watches the old man till he rides off to the range. and then l lopes over 10 see Nita. l was sure rattled. not knowing what to say OF how to say it. but after I'd made a few leads she began to see what the game was. Then l had the surprise of my life. When she grasps the fact that ScOtty is just fading away gradual for love of her she begins to look sorry and thoughtful. and pretty soon she begins to cry. l wants to kick myself then. hard. but she puts her hand on my arm and says: Frisco. you've been -. I whole lot. know you wouldn't be say ing this to me if Scotty wasn't straight. and if he's got anything to say to me I'll listen There she drops down sud- den on her knees by a chair with her head on her arms and cries out Moth er-Mother. l want you. Why did you leave your little girl? and l sneaks out the door with lump in my throat that I has to poke down with my finger to keep from choking, and my eyes smart ing like they was full of pepper.
 "Then I hunts up Scotty and takes that infant out back of the corral and to him mighy serious and confidential. It's your play I says, to go tell Nita you love her. and ask her to marry you. I don't know whether she will or not. If she won't. it's up to you to take your grief stricken countenance back to New Mexico sudden and simultaneous. If she will. you want to thank the Lord every night and morning for giving you one of the best women He ever made, and if you don't treat her a lie- tie better than any wOman's got a right to expect I'll shoot you so full of holes that you'll look like a milk strainer.'
 Then Scotty takes off his hat look ing mighty solemn, and grips my hand and says, 50 help me, God. l always will
 After that Scotty lopes over to see his lady love and learns his fate. In about an hour he comes back, walking on ar and effervescing joyfulness like a geyser. and shakes my hand till it aches. Shes promised to marry me he says. swallowing hard and trying to keep both feet on the ground. Then we begins to study how to cut Nita out of the herd without stampeding the whOls outfit, for we knows when the old man should find out what was m the wind it was going to be real tenn pestuous round there for quite spell.
 My idea was for the three of us 10 pull out on horseback some morning as soon as the old man had started for the range. and get 10 town and have the knot tied before he found out whats up. Wed have four or five hours start. and with hard riding. bar ring accident. l reckoned we'd strike town by midnight. But right there was where Scotty's moral scrupples cropped out strong and he bucked good and strong. T don't play no horse thief game like that he says. I'm going to marry Nita in her own home. decent and respectable. with her daddy for the chief mourner.'
 "'Keno,' I says. Its your deal-but it's a good gamble that Nita's a widow before she's a bride if the old man gets his gun out first
 "Tm not worrying none says Scot ty.
 Well. we figured it out after awhile. and I ties my face up in a handkerchief and asks the old man for three days off to get a tooth pulled. Then lopes over to town. cuts a minister out or the herd and heads him for the Three x outfit on the run. Coming back l sort of prepares his mind for trouble, and I must say for a parson he had sand. So long as the girl is free and willing he says. I'll do my duty
 ssZy-. strikes the ranch along about