s
quite a game. Thar's to be a procession between Wolfville an' Red
Dog, an' back ag'in, Faro Nell leadin' the same on a _pinto_ pony as
the Goddess of Liberty.

"'An' that reeminds me,' submits Cherokee, when we reaches Nell;
'thar's Missis Rucker. It's goin' to hurt her feelin's to be left out.
As the preesidin' genius of the O. K. Restauraw she's in shape to give
us a racket we'll despise in eevent she gets her back up.'

"'How about lettin' her in on the play,' says Boggs, 'an' typ'fyin'
Jestice, that a-way?'

"'Thar's a idee, Dan,' says Texas Thompson, 'which plugs the center, a
reecommendation which does you proud! Down in that Laredo Co't House
whar my wife wins out her divorce that time, thar's a figger of
Jestice painted on the wall. Shore, it don't mean nothin'; but all the
same it's thar, dressed in white, that a-way, with eyes bandaged, an'
packin' a sword in one hand an' holdin' aloft some balances in
t'other. Come to think of it, too, that picture shore looks a lot like
Missis Rucker in the face, bein' plumb haughty an' commandin'.'

"'Missis Rucker not bein' yere none,' says Enright softly, an'
peerin' about some cautious, 'I submits that while no more esteemable
lady ever tosses a flapjack or fries salt-hoss in a pan, her figger is
mebby jest a trifle too abundant. As Jestice, she'll nacherally be
arrayed--as Texas says--in white, same as Nell as the Goddess. I don't
want to seem technicle, but white augments the size of folks an' will
make the lady in question look bigger'n a load of hay.'

"'Even so,' reemarks the Red Dog chief indulgently, 'would that of
itse'f, I asks, be reckoned any setback? The lady will person'fy
Jestice; an' as sech I submits she can't look none too big.'

"In compliment to the Red Dog chief Enright, with a p'lite flourish,
allows that he yields his objection with pleasure, an' Missis Rucker
is put down for Jestice. It's agreed likewise to borry a coach from
the stage company for her to ride on top.

"'Her bein' preeclooded,' explains Peets, 'from ridin' a hoss that
a-way, as entirely ondignified if not onsafe. We can rig her up a
throne with one of the big splint-bottom cha'rs from the Red Light,
an' wrop the same in the American flag so's to make it look
offishul.'

"Tucson Jennie, with little Enright Peets as the Hope of the Republic,
is to ride inside the coach.

"Havin' got this far, Pete Bland submits that a tellin' number would
be a sham battle, Red Dog ag'in