of Yellow Tavern and Five Forks, as well as to keep tab on subsequent
events of which history makes no mention, but which troopers know well,
for Summit Springs, Superstition Mountain, Sunset Pass, and Slim
Buttes--a daring succession of sibilant tongue-tacklers--were names of
Indian actions from Dakota to the Gila the old soldier loved to dwell
upon, even if Donnelly's whiskey had not put clogs on his tongue. Two
things was Mac always sure of at the Shades,--good listeners and bad
liquor; but the trooper who has tasted every tipple, from "pine-top" to
mescal, will forgive the latter if sure of the former. Donnelly had his
"ordhers," as Mrs. Mac said. The sergeant was to be accorded all respect
and credit, and a hack to fetch him home when his legs got as twisted as
his tongue: Mrs. McGrath would be around within forty-eight hours to
audit and pay the accounts. Donnelly sought to swindle the shrewd old
laundress at the start, and thereby lost Mac's valuable custom for six
long and anniversary-laden months. Then he came to terms, and didn't try
it again for nearly two years, which was remarkable in a saloon-man.
This time Donnelly was forgiven only upon restitution of the amount
involved and the presentation to Mrs. McGrath of a very ornate brooch in
emeralds and brilliants--or something imitative thereof--representing
the harp of Erin. From this time on things had gone smoothly.

A wonderful woman was Mrs. Mac, as her husband never failed to admit.
She had slaved and saved for him in a score of garrisons. They had their
little hoard carefully invested. They hired a young relative and
countryman to do the hard work about the premises, and they guarded
every item of the major's property with a fidelity and care that knew no
lapse, for Mrs. Mac was never so scrupulous as when her lord was in his
cups. "No," said Cranston, when a neighbor once asked him if he wasn't
afraid of serious losses through Mac's occasional inebriety. "The more
he drinks the stricter her vigilance, and she's the smarter of the two."

But there came a time when the major found it necessary to caution Mrs.
Mac, and that was when it was brought to his ears that McGrath's nephew,
the young Irish helper above referred to, was a frequent attendant at
certain turbulent meetings held over on the west side, where he had
been seen drunk on two occasions. "It's one thing to allow an old
soldier like Mac his occasional indulgence," said Cranston; "he was
star