l be ready, an' I'll be in a cool
frenzy, the same bein' a mood which is excellent, partic'lar if a gent
is out to break records for rhetoric. I shore regyards them
malefactors as so many rungs for my clamberin' up the ladder of fame."
An' with that this Easy Aaron goes pirootin' forth upon the plains
ag'in to resoome his talking at a mark.

"'It's mebby a week after this exultation of Easy Aaron's, an' Waco
Anderson an' the others is in from the ranges. Yellow City is onusual
vivacious an' lively. You-all may jedge of the happy prosperity of
local feelin' when I assoores you that the average changed in at
farobank each evenin' ain't less than twenty thousand dollars. As for
Easy Aaron, he's goin' about in clouds of personal an' speshul delight.
It's now crowdin' along towards the time when him an' his clients will
adjourn over to that county seat an' give Easy Aaron the opportoonity
to write his name on the deathless calendars of fame.

"'But black disapp'intment gets Easy Aaron squar' in the door. One
morning he reepairs to the calaboose to consult with the felons on
whose interests he's ridin' herd. Horror seizes him; he finds the
cells as vacant as a echo.

"'"Where's these clients?" asks Easy Aaron, while his face grows white.

"'"Vamosed!" says the Mexican who carries the calaboose keys; an' with
that he turns in mighty composed, to roll a cigarette.

"'"Vamoosed, where at?" pursoos Easy Aaron.

"'"_Por el inferno_!" says the Mexican; he's got his cigarette lighted,
an' is puffin' as contented as hoss-thieves. "See thar, _Amigo_!" goes
on the Greaser, indicatin' down the street.

"'Easy Aaron gazes where the Mexican p'ints, an' his heart turns to
water. Thar swayin' an' swingin' like tassels in the mornin' breeze,
an' each as dead as Gen'ral Taylor, he beholds his entire docket
hangin' to the windmill. Easy Aaron approaches an' counts 'em up.
Which they're all thar! The Stranglers shorely makes a house cleanin'.
As Easy Aaron looks upon them late clients, he wrings his hands.

"'"Thar hangs fame!" says Easy Aaron; "thar hangs my chance of
eminence! That eloquence, wherewith my heart is freighted, an' which
would have else declar'd me the Erskine of the Brazos, is lynched with
my clients." Then wheelin' on Waco Anderson who strolls over, Easy
Aaron demands plenty f'rocious: "Whoever does this dastard deed?"

"'"Which this agitated sport," observes Waco coldly to Shoestring
Griffith, who comes