the rope, when a druggist,
whom most of them knew, burst through the crowd, and whipping out a
knife cut the rope within a few feet of his neck. 'What in hell are
you varments trying to do?' roared the druggist. 'This man is a cousin
of mine. Going to hang him, are you? Well, you'll have to hang me with
him when you do.'

"'Just as soon make it two as one,' snarled George. 'When did you get
the chips in this game, I'd like to know? Oppose the progress of the
town, too, do you?'

"'No, I don't,' said the druggist, 'and I'll see that my cousin here
doesn't.'

"'That's all we ask, then,' said Wall; 'turn him loose, boys. We don't
want to hang no man. We hold you responsible if he opens his mouth
again against the bonds.'

"'Hold me responsible, gentlemen,' said the druggist, with a profound
bow. 'Come with me, Cousin,' he said to the Anti.

"The druggist took him through his store, and up some back stairs; and
once he had him alone, this was his advice, as reported to us later:
'You're a stranger to me. I lied to those men, but I saved your life.
Now, I'll take you to the four-o'clock train, and get you out of this
town. By this act I'll incur the hatred of these people that I live
amongst. So you let the idea go out that you are my cousin. Sabe? Now,
stay right here and I'll bring you anything you want, but for Heaven's
sake, don't give me away.'

"'Is--is--is the four o'clock train the first out?' inquired the new
cousin.

"'It is the first. I'll see you through this. I'll come up and see you
every hour. Take things cool and easy now. I'm your friend, remember,'
was the comfort they parted on.

"There were over seven hundred votes cast, and only one against the
bonds. How that one vote got in is yet a mystery. There were no hard
drinkers among the boys, all easy drinkers, men that never refused to
drink. Yet voting was a little new to them, and possibly that was how
this mistake occurred. We got the returns early in the evening. The
county had gone by a handsome majority for the bonds. The committee on
entertainment had provided a ball for us in the basement of the Opera
House, it being the largest room in town. When the good news began to
circulate, the merchants began building bonfires. Fellows who didn't
have extra togs on for the ball got out their horses, and in squads of
twenty to fifty rode through the town, painting her red. If there was
one shot fired that night, there were ten thousand.

"I bought