and I perceive yoh construction is entahley correct."

And so the Legislature signed that form of oath prescribed for
participants in the late Rebellion, and Hewley did not have to wait for
his poker money. He and Wingo played many subsequent games; for, as they
all said in referring to the matter, "A little thing like that should
nevuh stand between friends."

Thus was accomplished by Ballard, Paisley--and Jones--the Second
Missouri Compromise, at Boise City, Idaho, 1867--an eccentric moment in
the eccentric years of our development westward, and historic also. That
it has gone unrecorded until now is because of Ballard's modesty,
Paisley's preference for the sword, and Jones's hatred of the pen. He
was never known to write except, later, in the pages of his company
roster and such unavoidable official places; for the troopers were
prophetic. In not many months there was no longer a Corporal Jones, but
a person widely known as Sergeant Jones of Company A; called also the
"Singing Sergeant"; but still familiar to his intimate friends as
"Specimen."

LA TINAJA BONITA

"And it came to pass after a while that the brook dried up,
because there had been no rain in the land."--1 Kings xvii. 7.

A pretty girl was kneeling on the roof of a flat mud cabin, a harvest of
red peppers round her knees. On the ground below her stood a swarthy
young man, the bloom on his Mexican cheeks rich and dusky, like her own.
His face was irresponsible and winning, and his watching eyes shone upon
her with admiration and desire. She on the roof was entertained by her
visitor's attention, but unfavorable to it. Through the live-long sunny
day she had parried his love-talk with light and complete skill,
enjoying herself, and liking him very well, as she had done since they
were two children playing together in the Arizona desert. She was quite
mistress of the situation, because she was a woman, and he as yet merely
a boy; he was only twenty-two; she was almost sixteen. The Mexican man
at twenty-two may be as experienced as his Northern brother of thirty,
but at sixteen the Mexican woman is also mature, and can competently
deal with the man. So this girl had relished the thoughtless morning and
noon as they passed; but twice lately she had glanced across the low
tree-tops of her garden down the trail, where the canon descended to the
silent plain below.

"I think I must go back now," said the young man, not thinking so. He