ar's good in that Monte maverick,' says Texas; 'only so we
could get the nosepaint out of him.'

"'Now, I wouldn't wonder none, neither,' says Tutt.

"'He drinkt up two quarts an' a half yesterday,' says Texas.

"'Ain't thar no steps which can be took?' Tutt asks. 'Two quarts an' a
half, though, shore sounds like he's somethin' of a prop'sition.'

"These yere remarks is made in the Red Light, an' Tutt an' Texas
appeals to Cherokee, whar that courtier of fortune is settin' in
behind his lay-out. Cherokee waves 'em off, p'lite but firm.

"'Don't ask me none,' he says. 'You-all knows my doctrines. Let every
gent kill his own snakes.'

"'That's my theology,' remarks Boggs, who has just come ramblin' in
from the Noo York store, whar he's been changin' in a bundle of money
for shirts; 'I recalls how, when I'm a prattlin' yearlin', hearin'
Parson Ed'ards of the Cambellite Church quotin' whar Cain gives it out
cold that he's not his brother's keeper; an' even at that onthinkin'
age I fully endorses Cain's p'sition.'

"The talk takes in Black Jack, who, by virchoo of him bein' a barkeep,
nacherally savvys a heap about the licker question. Jack reelates how
a sot he knows back in Arkansaw is shocked into never takin' a drink,
by simply blowin' his hand off accidental while tanked up.

"'Whang! goes the old Betsy,' says Jack, 'an' that slave to licker's
shy his left hand. "Which it lets me out!" he exclaims; an' datin'
from said catastrophy he'd no more tech nosepaint, that a-way, than
he'd join the church.'

"'But it's doubtful,' observes Tutt, 'if Enright stands to let us
shoot this yere Monte drunkard's hand off.'

"'It's ten to one he won't,' says Texas; 'still thar ought to be other
schemes for shockin' a party into moral'ty, which stops short o'
cripplin' him for life.'

"'But is this yere inebriate worth the worry?' asks Boggs. 'Also, it
shore strikes me as mighty gratooitous for us to go reorganizin' the
morals of a plumb stranger, an' him not even asked.'

"'Which he's worth the worry all right,' Texas replies. 'Thar's no
efforts too great, when thar's a chance to save a party who has the
same thorough onderstandin' of ladies which this gent has.'

"Up over the Red Light bar is a stuffed bobcat, the same bein' held as
decorative. Only the day before Texas and Tutt stands talkin', a
couple of Enright's riders comes packin' a live bobcat into town,
which between 'em they ropes up over in the foothills of the