The St. Johns herald., 1921-05-12
CHAPTER III.
The Choice of the Lady.

Kelly who had been unceremOnlOuSIy routed out of bed after a harl days work, were the last to join the con- pany of selects crowded into Dan Mo Carthy's office. The majority. were un- shaven and roughly dressed, inclined to look on the whole affair as a lark, but there were serious faces among them and altogether, in Shelby's judg- ment as he looked them over, they were not a bad lot. He pushed his way through the throng and joined Mac, who stood with his back to the desk.
 That's all of them,' he said quiet ly. "Now give lem your spiel an we'll see what comes of it."
 Mccarthy cleared his throat and re- moved the stump of cigar from be- tween his teeth.
 "Is the door shut tight? All right. What I've got to say is just fer you, boys, an ain't ter be told round pro- miscuse. We started in ter give or Dad Calkins proper kind of funeral an sure pulled it off in some style, If say 1t myself. Then we decided 1t was up to us to give the gurl decent Send-off an this town chucked In about five hundred bucks an never | batted an eye. When that was over with, 1 sorter considered that Ponca had about done its share, but the preacher what come down from Buf- falo Gap didn't think the same. He sed here was a poor girl left with no home an no protection and that un- less she was taken care of she'd maybe drift ter h-l an back, an he argued that it was Ponca's business to see that she got started off right. His idee was that she ought ter be married afOre she had any chance ter drift and git reckless like a lot O them females"
 There was an uneasy movement among the crowd and Shelby was amused a+ the varied expression upon the faces before him. Mccarthy paused as though gathering himself together for his main effort.
 "AIl I got ter say Is when thought 1t all over l concluded the preacher sure had it sized up about right. That girl is decent an has been brought up decent, even if or Dad was rounder, He kept her straight an giv' her a good education. Now what's goin' ter become of her when she's left alone? told the preacher I'd do my share an see to 1t that POnca came up to the scratch. I naturally can't marry
 her myself, seeing as how I've got a
 wife and five kids already, but I'll do
 the next best thing-I'n cough up
 enough coin to give the fellow who } will give her a chance ter make good.
 She's goin' ter have cash ter back her."
 ) "How muchT'
 Whats the figure, DanT 1.-TWO thousand, besides the five
 hundred already subscribed. That's , more'n some O you ducks ever saw" :" , "Say, Mac, what was the plan? Cut 7 the cards for furst chanceT
 'NO; this is a sportin' proposition. , with everyone havin' a fair show, explained the saloonkeeper. "We 7 sorter picked you boys out as the most
 likely runts round town and intend
 ter line you up an then let her pick . out the one she takes fancy to. It's only fair she has chance to take the 2 duffer she'd rather have" There was a confused murmur o1
 voices, some reckless, others mutter' ing opposition, but it was evident the
 proposition rather appealed to the ma jority, who saw in it a chance for some unusual fun and excitement, with only vague probability of being caught Shelby slipped in word. s "Tn bet five to one," he said quietly D Sthat she turns down the whole gang b "Ter h-l she willI Not after shC gets one glimpse O Cowan. She'I think he owns the town" o That's it, boysl Come on, yor g fellers; the bunch O us don't run nC o risk. She'll copper on Cowan an | r she misses him them sideburns O Ar Il chibald's will sure get her goat" "Is this yere two thousand a sur'
 thingY' It was COwan who askeC
 somewhat anxiously. "It aint got n' IS string tied to it?"
 s' A yell greeted the question, punctu l. ated with various remarks.
 'aTakin' it seriously, old manT d "Goin' to start an opposition store7 10 "I guarantee the sum-" said Mo .e Carthy, "every last cent of 1t. Who ,e ever the girl chooses, when he marie if her, I'll pay him the money. That
 flat an you boys know whose talking.
 There was a surgfng forward ind la cative of readiness. Evidently tn 1 -,.onnniAanr, tnd nan0ht and fh