represented by your person, don't pull a
gun on Arizona Jenkins--that's the one thing he won't take from
nobody.'

"'D-d-darn him!' snivels Jonesy, 'I ain't afraid o-o-of him;' and
the strange fact is that he wasn't. Well, I saw he was in such a
taking that he might do something foolish and get hurt, so I goes
to Arizona and says I, 'You ought to apologize to Jones.' What
Zony replied ain't worth repeating--'and you along with him,' he
winds up.

"'Now ain't that childish?' I says. 'A six-footer like you that
can shoot straight with either hand, and yet ain't got generosity
enough to ease the feelings of a poor little devil that's fair
busting with shame.'

"'Well, what did he want to tell me to shut up my mouth for?' cried
Old Dry Belt. 'Men have died of less than that.'

"'Aw, shucks, Zony,' I says, 'a great, big man like you oughtn't to
come down on a little cuss who's all thumb-hand-side and left feet.'

"'That be blowed,' says he--only he says it different. 'I'd like
to know what business such a sawed-off has to come and tell a
full-grown man like me to shut up his mouth? He'd ought to stay in
a little man's place and talk sassy to people his own size. When
he comes shooting off his bazoo to a man that could swaller him
whole without loosening his collar, it's impidence; that's what it
is.'

"'Well, as a favour to me?' I says.

"'Well, if you put it in that way--I don't want to be small about
it.'

"So Arizona goes up to Jones and sticks out his hand. 'There's my
hand, Jones,' he says. 'I'm mighty sorry you told me to shut up my
mouth,' says he.

"'So am I,' says Jones heartily, not taking in the sense of the
words, but feeling that it was all in good intention. So that was
all right and I stood in with the management in great shape for
fixing up the fuss so pleasant. But it didn't last. They say
nothing lasts in this world. There's some pretty solid rocks in
the Coeur d'Alene, however, and I should like to wait around and
see if they don't hold out, but I'll never make it. I've been in
too much excitement.

"Well, the next thing after Jonesy got established was that his
niece must come out during vacation and pay him a visit.
'Jee-rusalem!' thinks I, 'Jonesy's niece!' I had visions of a
thin, yaller, sour little piece, with mouse-coloured hair plastered
down on her head, and an unkind word for everybody. Jonesy told me
about her being in college, and then I stuck a pair of them
no