ar of the divertin'
adventures of Silver Phil--shootin' up his gyards an' fetchin' himse'f
free--ontil days after. No one in camp has got Silver Phil on his mind
at all; at least if he has he deems him safe an' shore in hock,
a-waitin' to be stretched. Considerin' what follows, I never
experiences trouble in adoptin' Doc Peets' argyments that the eepisodes
wherein this onhappy Silver Phil figgers sort o' aggravates his
intellects ontil he's locoed.

"'Bein' this Silver Phil's a degen'rate,' declar's Peets, explanatory,
'he's easy an' soon to loco. His mind as well as his moral nacher is
onbalanced congenital. Any triflin' jolt, much less than what that
Silver Phil runs up on, an' his fretful wits is shore to leave the
saddle.

"Now that Silver Phil's free, but loonatic like Peets says, an' doubly
vicious by them tantalisin' gyards, it looks like he thinks of nothin'
but wreckin' reprisals on all who's crossed his trail. An' so with
vengeance eatin' at his crim'nal heart he p'ints that bronco's muzzle
straight as a bird flies for Wolfville. Whoever do you-all reckon now
he wants? Cherokee Hall? Son, you've followed off the wrong waggon
track. Silver Phil--imagine the turpitoode of sech a ornery
wretch!--is out for the lovely skelp of Faro Nell who detects him in
his ha'r-copper frauds that time.

"Which the first intimations we has of Silver Phil after that escape,
is one evenin' about fifth drink time--or as you-all says 'four
o'clock.' The sun's still hot an' high over in the west. Thar's no
game goin'; but bein' it's as convenient thar as elsewhere an' some
cooler, Cherokee's settin' back of his layout with Faro Nell as usual
on her lookout perch. Dan Boggs is across the street in the dancehall
door, an' his pet best bronco is waitin' saddled in front. Hot an'
drowsy; the street save for these is deserted.

"It all takes place in a moment. Thar's a clattering rush; an' then,
pony a-muck with sweat an' alkali dust, Silver Phil shows in the
portals of the Red Light. Thar's a flash an' a spit of white smoke as
he fires his six-shooter straight at Faro Nell.

"Silver Phil is quick, but Cherokee is quicker. Cherokee sweeps Faro
Nell from her stool with one motion of his arm an' the bullet that's
searchin' for her lifts Cherokee's ha'r a trifle where he 'most gets
his head in its way.

"Ondoubted, this Silver Phil allows he c'llects on Faro Nell as
planned. He don't shoot twice, an' he don't tarry n