The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1915-02-13

Everybody laughs and Chick rides
of bashful toward the Hotel Dalhart,
and / see Mexico's eyes narrow to
two dark Sits when Elsie bounds out
on the gallery with one of them polka
dot effects on, and gives Willie the
glad hand.
Even this far off you can tell she's
braggin' on his clothes the way she
stands back and looks at him, her
head on one side and her hands
clasped in front of her.
And all day Chick stayed by her.
Not engagin' in the cigar race and
contests of various kinds, he just
stayed by Elsie's side, and took her
from stand to stand buyin' her every
thing in sight.
Mexico Charlie always took first
money on these occasions, him bein'
the star roper and rider in these
parts; but today he couldn't win moth.
in, and when at last a bronze
throwed him, he got up with a wicked
look, and never even smiled when Ell
sic rushed W. to ask if he was hurt.
Just before shutdown when it was
all over but the biley, which was to be
in the schoolhouse that night, the
crowd had dispersed and a little
bunch of three or four cow-punchers
in front of the hotel was all there
was in sight.
Chick was leanin' against a p6et
l%istenin' to the rest of us auger,
when Mexico Charlie walks out of the
hotel and stands on the gallery lookin'
down at Chicks feet.
Fellows" he says short, do you
know why | got throwed today?"
Course we didn't.
Some low-lived son-of-a-gun
snapped his dull spurs for my sharp
ones" he says. "and there they are"
he says, pointin' to Chicks feet. you
all know EN-"
Nobody says a word, for shore
enough Chick is wearin' different
spurs from the ones he bought down
at Headwater about a month before,
and shore enough they're just like
Mexieo's.
Chick looks up at Mexico to see
what kind of a joke it is, then he
crooks one leg and begins to spin the
rowel around foolish.
'These here" he says, are my
spurs. I traded for 'em today with
Wild Cat Mike"
"And Wild Cat Mikes gone home, l
suppose avs Mexico suggestive.
yes, he's gone home" answers
C&ick still twirlin' the spur.
Mexico steps down and forces Chick
to look at him.
I'm goin' for my gun" he says
furious. I'm fix you for this" And
he rushes off toward the store.
Chick looks at us kinder be-
wildered.
Nov what did he mean?7 he asks
innocent.
Then we all explain at once. for we
know this Mexico of old and that's
why nobody else has ever throwed in
too much with Elsie.
Have you got a gum" l asks ex-
cited.
Chicks puts down his foot and
reached back to his hip pocket.
Yes" he says. DRAWN out. not a
AS, but a sack of tobacco and a book
of cigarette papers.
Heavens, man." says Johnny Car
ton, where is it?"
In my pocket" says Chick, cool
as a refrigerator. Il guess I'll have
time to roll a cigarette before he
gifts back" he adds in his injured
tone. I've got a date with Elsie for
the dance, too" he says regretful.
Well, we all looked foolish.
This was the coward we had laughed
at, and tortured, now ready to face
the Bad Man of Floretta in the worst
Of his moods!
The whole group sauntered off a bit
from the hotel, for there were ladies
inside and they must not be disturbed.
1t was only a step to the store, and
Mexico was comm back now. Nobody
made a nov while he walked up to
within twenty steps of where we
stood, his back to the hotel gallery.
Chick spat out his cigarette.
Mexico whipped out his gun, and l
glanced at the tenderfoot.
IL was all over so quick, and a man
can't see everything at n l re-
member Chick had his gun-then l
saw the widest look of misery come
into his eyes,. Almost at the same
moment came the sound Of a sharp
step on the gallery, there was a whir
of polka-dots, and then l heard the
report of Mexico's gun.
Chick had failed to shoot.
We all looked from one of the com
batants to the other, too dazed to
speak. for there stood Chick unhurt,
while Mexico was lookin' at a place
on his right arm from which we could
see the blood was tricklin', him havin'
the sleeves of his shirt rolled up.
Little Elsie Dalhart was standin'
there. A pair of spurs was in her
hand.
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