"'Which it's this a-way, pards,' says Monte. 'I'm twenty miles no'th
of yere, when somethin' flashes by with a lead hoss, like arrows.
Thinks I, "That's a hoss thief gettin' away with some stock"; an',
allowin' Jack Moore'll be hard on his neefarious hocks, I'm lookin'
back to see can I raise Jack's dust. The next I knows, an' all as
sudden as a pan of milk from a top shelf, I hears a silv'ry voice
remarkin': "Set your brake!" an' turnin' my head I finds a winchester
p'intin' as squar' between my eyes as you-all could lay your finger.
Gents, thar's something mighty cogent about a winchester that a-way,
an' I shore shoves on the brake with sech abandon I snaps the shank
short off.'

"'Wharever is this Oscar party?' asks Enright.

"'He's with me on the box; an' when this yere intrepid Miss Bark takes
to dom'neerin' at us with that rifle he collapses. "It's you, Oscar,"
observes this Miss Bark, shiftin' the muzzle to him. "Upon second
thought I concloods to accept your offer of marriage."

"'Which at that crisis,' remarks Peets, 'this Oscar of course breaks
into loud an' joyful cries.'

"'Not exactly. In fact, his tones if anything is some low-sperited. "I
takes it," he says, when he's able to command his feelin's, "that you
declines them proffers with your winchester at the time when made."
But the lady dismisses this as a quibble, an' merely sayin' that she
won't be paltered with no farther, orders Oscar an' the Bible sharp
who's ridin' inside to assemble by the edge of the trail. The Bible
sharp attempts to lay the foundations of fresh objections by askin'
Oscar does he do this of his own free will; but the muzzle of the
winchester--which the bride all along reetains in her hands--begins
movin' 'round in his direction, observin' which man'festation he
pronounces 'em husband an' wife. "What heaven has j'ined together,"
says he, "let no man put asunder." After which he blesses 'em, an'
reeports the last cinch fastened. "Pay him, Oscar," whispers the
bride. Wharupon Oscar, his fingers tremblin', squars the Bible sharp
with the price of a brace of steers, an' the deed is done. Now he's
hers for better or worse, she ropes his heels together onder the belly
of her lead hoss, an' the happy pa'r goes romancin' back for
Wolfville, while I kicks loose what's left of the brake an' p'ints out
ag'in for Tucson.'

"On the third day, by givin' his parole an' promising to fondly
reeport to his spouse once every hour, Oscar is