White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-06-25


hawk. You tell Birdie that Power
Terribone says she's-she' Pok-
er's voice got away from him and
went queer and squeaky and he batted
his old red-rimmed eyes-"Poker Ter
ribone he says she's a bird of para
dise!"
"All right" said Doc. But, Poker
the weddings tomorrow EVENING""
Old Poker sent the long whip pop
ping over the leaders heads. "Pll be
there!" he said.
Birdie Calamus came out on the
porch and loked at the young doctor.
And again l saw that light which is
in the eyes of all the mothers of all
the world.
'"Billy!" she called softly.
Doc turned; and in Docs eyes
saw that Birdie might bluff all man.
kind; but love was one thing that
never would be bluffed. Together
they went inside.
"And we're goin' to lose em both!"
croaked Pachecho Dan. "Say, Buck
the worlds goin' plumb to HE'LL"
The big dining room was crowded,
for now the boys were beginning to
get back from the recent stampede to
Red Mountain. Doc and Birdie stood
up and the preacher opened his book
The preacher was an itinerant whom
we had found at Mesa Caliente and we
were uneasy, for he was a little
shrimp and we were afraid he would
not be able to handle such moment
Gus affair.
Through the awful hush the little
preachers voice came distinctly. Then
a door banked open and old Poker
Terribone came in. He was covered
with dust, but his whiskered face was
cleft by grin which would have adj
vertised his success for half mile.
Il win!" he bawled. Il goes against
Chuckawalla single-handed for Birdie
and Doc-and I win em easy!"
The shocked silence apprised poor
old Poker that somehow he had done
something awful The preachers thin
voice began piping again, reading the
m n ny a On T0y
skunk abashed into a corner and sat
down. And as soon as the service
was at an end he slid out of the back
door and fled.
However, 1 found him later in the
evening, sitting in the dark stall with
his mules. Il couldn't stay, Buck" he
said. They'd wanted me to get up
and make speech. But it was this.
away: When 1 got into Chuckawalla
went round and hunted up Ike
Petrie. You know likes the Big Wolf
of Chuckawalla and what he says
goes.
Ike l says, / want to speak to
you about young doctor you used
to own over here"
Excuse me, Mr.. Terribone,' says
Ike, polite as hell. You prob'ly mean
the doctor Chuckawalla owns right
now! And, by the way he says,
when you Stovelid invalids goin' to
send our doctor back?'
Ike says, I got to explain And
then 1 told him about Birdie Calamus
and about Doc bein' scrupulous and
all that. And so you, Ike l says, If
you get your doctor back, you takes
Birdie Calamus with him More'n that,
you robs Stovelid of all that makes
life worth livin',' says. And, speak
in personal, for one comes over and
shoots up Chuckawalla as long as
can see a citizen to aim at! Now we
don't want anything like that, Ike. 1t
wouldn't be neighborly and it would
give this part of the desert black
eye. Let's you and me think up some
thin
"T amt the kind that yields to
coercion, says Ike. Was you amin
at coercion?'
"'Never! says. I merely want to
state that I'm plumb frantic over the
thought of losin' Doc and Birdie; and
when get frantic l sometimes do
things Pm sorry for in my calmer
moments!'
What you suggest?' asked Ike.
Lets you and me shake dice for
emf says. Three shakes. Best two
out of three. Winner takes Doc and
Birdie-for keeps. Are you game, or
are you yaller pup? pulled the dice
out of my pocket.
There's several things I amt
says Ike, reachin' for the dicebox.
And one of ems yaller pup!'
$50 we shook and 1 win-easy!
They was only one bad loser in Chuck
awalla; that was old Jason Apologize.
A-,>~-