The sun., 1907-11-10
(OKER WILL PAY
I FOR THE WEDDING.
q Bidasdell's River Trip Gives
~ HIM Funds to Marry
" the Widow.

Anuarently no one had. for no onemade
.nnv immediate replN- After a long. pause
lAos 1assett spoke.
M sTheres mors'n yG'u." he said. ~beOn
iA n. M that same In the Aast few days. Pears
Nefe's some considerable mystery abOuten
h's whereabouts. reckon II bs don't
Low up soon 'twon't be,nons too helI.roarin'
A ksalthy for him when he does
aBow's thatp" asked WintsrbottOm.
well. YOU know thst there little widtier
fup the road Z Jim's bean rsck'nin' to
marry" said the Sheriff. and they all
Nodded solemnly.
NJ Il knowed that had sorn'p TO do with
1t muttered Sam Pearsall. shaking his
besd gloomily.
4 well, she's been a'ter me two or three
yyaimss tellin' me az how II was my duty AZ
'GhsrifY o. the county for 20 SEQ that noman
didn't Jump the town iUnt-aforo the time
tsat f'r his nuptions.
@~Pears they was to Abe nnarriedNnext
"Wednesday an she's some sot on havin'
fhim here. as't her II there want no
other men round town Z I'd do. an she
said lots but that want it.
she didn't reckon on hDvin' no man
treat her with spurn an she opposed havin'
n little talk with Jim first. An her eyea
Wrapped some dangerous.
! -pitv somo others In Arkansas City hadn't
haused the sense Jim Blaisdel done
~ owsd." puttered Sam PearsaM again.
ANou won't never see him no more. bein'
A v he come to soon enough for to get away.
M al'ays was lucky
- h was now envelOped in gloom as with
sarment and the others. knowing some
y ling OF his troubles. forbore to comment
4. IN his utterance.
sDon't nobody know what 3 done become
(bf him?" asked Mr.. Owen Pepper.
( aNot rightly" said Bassett but ora o
Fthe rousters down on the levee told nae he
4 benoke abo'd the Belle o. tn Bayous just as
tIshe was castin' on a week ago Thursday
Knight. as't Cap'n wilkins when he come
supthe river gain, last week. but he p'tended
he didn't know nothin' 1 reckon JiTns
4 kcovered his tracks tol'able we'll
L sam Pearsall arose from his seat in what
teemed 10 he a transport OF enthusiasm.
laizinE his hat in his hand, he dashed It
Jcn the Aoor exclaiming:
THAT there Jim Blaisdell's the -"
What about Jim Blaisdell?" said the man
Chimself opening the door OF the saloon and
starting toward the bar.
The biggest dam fool on earth said
sPearsall. picking up his hat. and rssuming
ihis seat. His ardor had congealed.
Even when he lined up with the others
n dn front Of the bar at Blaisdells invitation
at could be seen plainly that he was greatly
.<ispleased at the others return.
What made We do it. Jimf" he asked
" engoaohfully. There want no over
elmin' Ho'ce compellin' ye to come back.
J. ker you'd got away safe.
2 'se..,.FAssya'n't. hey? You don't know the
z Ader's well as I do said Blaisdell. Il
4 u We, boys. there amt no other place on
5p Of earth but Arkansas City q long g
q shes in town.
? Reason went away was long o. that
khsre ceremony what's been fixed f'r next
"wednesday. You uns knows a. we'll as I
y do how z business amt been none too
good round here lately.
Time was when this here old shack was
- place to be proud Of. but pears like it's
( different now"
This was said with a reproachful glance
mt the proprietor Of the saloon. who stood
psiIent behind the bar.
There's them,' continued BIaisdell with
the air Of one who reIished his Independence.
there's them Z complains o bein' talked
svo death and them Z reckons the house has
n TOO big a slice o. IN winnins.
liz Il amt sayin' what the real trouble is
" but what you uns an l both knows is . the
|, house is gettin' rich an the men Z porduces
ethe revenue amt layin' up nothln' f'r their
told age, let alone maxim anythin' like a
Irecent vision fr married life.
~Siore thunk il over the clearer l seen
u vas I'D to me to do business fr my own
self IL me an the widder was goin TO make
any sort Of a proper start, 30 up an took
10 the boats
-Sav! You talk about pokerl Why.
!. LON make more in a week on the boats n
2A.THh playin' in the back room a year.
HNIehbe you can" said old man Greenhut.
SWhp had been restraining himself with a
visible effort "Mebbe you can. l reckon
faint no gret stunt f'r man as gifted as
you be TO make a large wad in week
Question il en- you make more in a year
on the boats n You can in the back room"
Don't know. =" said Baisdell carelessly
al hain't tried IL fr year. week is good
Wnough f'r mo. an I reckon mebbe there'Il
" be another week in the course o time. I'm
goin' 10 get married while the products o
that week holds out"
"Well. we'll" said Jake WinterbottOm in
conciliatory tones. Ialnt no use gettin
hei up into discussion. Pears you done
had prosperous trip, Jim. Go on, now
an tell III about IT,"
II Sh'd -ay II was prosperous, said Blais-
dell hoa-tfully. and by no means loath Ia
NAunl himself. lTNI on l wa VI TeCk Mn
on doin much ahO'd the Bell o. tn Bayous
bciu' ID Cap'n Wilkins is knowed to be sol
ag'in poker on his boat
"Bain ~ I'd hcer'd o. that I'm several
vas s"rne struck when seen him playin' his
own-elf m the saloon some after midnight
Pears there was a guy I'm Vicksburg had
II did up tho old man last time he laid over
did him some severe, 80 = Z he was lookin
\ " comeback.
An th~ here fPller. name o. Guffins, wa
onto tho boat 'Peared 10 look on the old
-1au H. some easy an was favorable dis.
, vp-ed hls oNnSclf toward a settin'.
n y never seen tuffins afore, an hAint nc
~ ea, NOT y"f, how twas he reckoned H. need
~ Yor him 70 bring his side partner along
obed like he wouldn't "a had no grenI
/ 'uhlc playin' two handed. long o. the
,p.n playin' the game he did.
Taln't no marvel he's reCkoned a extry
ii good boat Capn. What he don't know
shout draw poker "a run dozen boats ad
| m,rablP, I'm a-tellin' Won.
~ Rut tufins an his pal was playin' with
MN three handed. an just na'hully 7 come
:, along an look on. What SEE filled me with
holy zeal an ] says to 'em = I'd take hanc
u twas agreeable.
NGnfhn- look cd mp quick an started TO say
" Homepn, but I give him one look, au' hi
said sonepin' else. | will LAY for Guf1in.
- h pears to understand a thing ir it4 heavct
a. hlm like dOrnicli. SO I sct in.
IN, What done to them two fore I'd beer