dollars in it for a
warmer. I'd make it more if I could--and nobody'll hurt my feelings by
raising my call."

All hands made a rush for Hill's hat--and when Hill handed it to that
poor woman, who had her pocket-handkerchief up to her eyes under her
veil and was crying so she shook all over, there was more'n two
hunderd dollars in it, mostly gold. "This is for them children, ma'am,
with all our compliments," Hill said--and he and Charley helped her
hold her shawl up, so it made a kind of a bag, while he turned his hat
upside-down.

"Speaking for my dear little girls, I thank you from my heart,
gentlemen," Santa Fe said. "This is a royal gift, and it comes at a
mighty good time. Some part of it must be used to pay our way
East--back to the dear old home, where those little angels are waiting
for us sitting cuddled up on their grandmother's knees. What remains,
I promise you gentlemen, shall be a sacred deposit--to be used in
buying little dresses, and hats, and things, for my sweet babes. I
hate to use a single cent of it for anything else, but the fact is
just now I'm right down to the hardpan." And everybody--remembering
Santa Fe'd took advantage of being on his drunk to get cleaned out at
Denver Jones's place the night before the shooting--knowed this was
true.

"Well, Charley, we must be andying along," Hill said. "Waiting here
to see you hung has put me more'n an hour behind on my schedule. I'll
have to hustle them mules like hell"--that was the careless way Hill
talked always--"if we're going to ketch that 6.30 train."

Everybody shook hands for good-bye with Santa Fe and his wife, and
Santa Fe had his pockets stuffed full of seegars, and more bottles was
put in the coach than was needed--and then we give 'em three cheers
again, and away they went down the slope to the bridge over the Rio
Grande, with Hill whipping away for all he was worth and cussing
terrible at his mules. Whipping done some good, Hill used to say; but
cuss-words was the only sure things to make mules go.

"Well, boys," said Cherry, when the yelling let up a little. "I guess
getting shut of Santa Fe that way is better'n hanging him; and I
guess--with him and the Hen and the rest of 'em fired out of it--we've
got Palomitas purified about down to the ground. And what's to all our
credits, we've ended off by doing a first-class good deed! Them
little girls'll be pleased and happy when their mother gets back to
'em with our money in her pocket