ner person's wits, not bein' cinched on any too tight by
nacher in the beginnin', mebby slips their girths same as happens with
a saddle. Cherokee inclines to a notion that whatever mental
deeflections he betrays is born primar'ly of him stoppin' that week in
Red Dog. Cherokee insists that sech a space in Red Dog shore ought to
be s'fficient to give any sport, however firmly founded, a decisive
slant.

"As ag'inst both the others, Boggs holds to the view that the onusual
fitfulness observ'ble in the Turner person arises from a change of
licker, an' urges that the sudden shift from the beverages of Red Dog,
which last is indoobitably no more an' no less than liquid loonacy, to
the Red Lights Old Jordan, is bound to confer a twist upon the
straightest intellectyooals.

"'Which I knows a party,' says Boggs, 'who once immerses a ten-penny
nail in a quart of Red Dog licker, an' at the end of the week he takes
it out a corkscrew.'

"'Go an' get him, Jack,' says Enright, p'intin' to the Turner person;
'him bein' tied thar that a-way is an inhooman spectacle, an' if
little Enright Peets should come teeterin' along an' see him, it'd
have a tendency to harden the innocent child. Fetch him yere, an' let
me question him.'

"'Front up,' says Moore to the Turner person, when he's been conveyed
before Enright; 'front up now, frank an' cheerful, an' answer
questions. Also, omit all ref'rences to bein' a wolf. Which you've
worn that topic thread-bar'; an' besides it ain't calc'lated to do you
credit.'

"'Whatever's the matter with you?' asks Enright, speakin' to the
Turner person friendly like. 'Which I begins to think thar's somethin'
wrong with your system. The way you go knockin' about offendin' folks,
it won't be no time before every social circle in the Southwest'll be
closed ag'inst you. Whatever's wrong?'

"'Them's the first kind words,' ejacyoolates the Turner person,
beginnin' to weep, 'which has been spoke to me in months. Which if
you-all will ask me into yon s'loon, an' protect me from that murderer
of a barkeep while I buys the drinks, I'll show you that I've been
illyoosed to a degree whar I'm no longer reespons'ble for my deeds.
It's a love affair,' he adds, gulpin' down a sob, 'an' I've been
crooelly misonderstood.'

"'A love affair,' repeats Enright plenty soft, for the mention of love
never fails to hit our old warchief whar thar't a palin' off his
fence. 'I ain't been what you-all'd call in love none since t