ves in a quer'lous way--that they
ain't hurtin' no one, an' for Moore to come shovin' 'round an'
lecturin' on etiquette is a conceited exhibition of authority as
offensive as it is onjest. Thar's doubts, too, about it's bein'
constitootional.

"'Whatever does that jim-crow sp'ile-sport of a marshal mean?' says
Turkey Track. 'It looks like he's not only deefyin' the organic law of
this country, but puttin' on a heap of dog. Does he reckon this yere
camp's a church?'

"'I moves we treats them mandates,' says one of the boys, who's a
rider for the G-bar ranch, 'with merited contempt.'

"'As how?' asks the third, who belongs with the Four-J brand. 'You
ain't so locoed as to s'ggest we-all t'ars person'ly into this Jack
Moore marshal none I hopes?'

"'Which you fills me with disgust!' says the other, nettled at the
idee of pawin' the onprofit'ble grass 'round Moore; 'but whatever's
the matter with goin' up to the far end of the street, an' w'irl an'
come squanderin' back jest a shootin'?'

"'Great!' says Turkey Track, applaudin' the scheme. 'Which we-all
nacherally shoots up their old prairie dog town, same as if it's a
Mexican plaza, an' then jogs on to our ranches, all triumphant an'
comfortable.'

"The three rides up to the head of the street, an' then turns
an'--givin' their ponies the steel--comes whizzin' down through the
center of eevents, yelpin' like Apaches an' lookin' like fireworks.
They've got a gun in each hand, an' they shakes the flame an' smoke
out of 'em same as three volcanoes on hossback.

"Moore's standin' in front of the Noo York store, talkin' to Tutt. As
you-all might imagine, it frets him to the quick to see how little
them effervescent sperits cares for his injunctions. By way of
rebooke--not wantin' to down 'em outright for what, take it the worst
way, ain't nothin' more heen'ous than a impropriety--Moore gets his
artillery to b'ar, an' as they flashes by like comets, opens on the
ponies. It's hard on the ponies; but it won't do to let them young
roysterers get away with their play. The example'll spread; an',
onless checked at the jump, inside of a month thar'd be nothin' but a
whoopin' procession of cow-punchers chargin' up an' down the
causeways. Tenderfeet might acquire misgivin's techin' us bein' a
peaceful camp, an' the thing op'rate as a blow to trade. It's become a
case of either get the boys or get the ponies, an' onder the
circumstances the ponies has the call.

"Thar's no mor