me
of Santa Fe Charley, he having had a bank over in Santa Fe afore Sal
give him the offer to come across to Palomitas and take charge. He
was one of the blue-eyed quiet kind, Charley was, that's not wholesome
to monkey with; the sort that's extra particular about being polite
and nice-spoken--and never makes no mistakes, when shooting-time
comes, about shooting to kill. When he was sober, though--and he had
to keep sober, mostly, or his business would a-suffered--he wasn't
hunting after rumpusses: all he did was to keep ready for 'em, and
hold his end up when they come along. He had the habit--same as some
other of the best card sharps I've met with--of dressing himself in
black, real stylish: wearing a long-tail coat and a boiled shirt and
white tie, and having a toney wide-brimmed black felt hat that touched
him off fine. With them regular fire-escape clothes on, folks was apt
to take him for one; and, when they did, he always met 'em half-way by
letting on preaching was his business--till he got 'em on the other
side of the table and begun to shake down what cards he needed from up
inside them black coat-sleeves. Mostly they ended by thinking that
maybe preaching wasn't just what you might call his strongest hold.

It helped him in his work more'n a little, sometimes, dressing up that
way and talking to suit, like he knowed how to, real high-toned talk;
but I do believe for a fact he enjoyed the dollars he got out of it
less 'n he did the fun it give him making fools of folks by setting up
rigs on 'em--he truly being the greatest hand at rigging I ever seen.
Somehow--not having the comfort of being able to get drunk half as
often as he wanted to--it seemed like he give himself the let-out he
needed in them queer antics; and, for certain, he managed 'em always
so they went with a hum. When him and the Sage-Brush Hen played
partners in rigging anybody--as they was apt to, the Hen being much
such another and so special friends with Charley she'd come on after
him from Santa Fe--there mostly was a real down spirited game!

She was what you might call the leading lady in the Forest Queen
dance-hall, the Sage-Brush Hen was; and if you wanted fun, and had to
choose between her and a basket of monkeys, all I've got to say
is--nobody'd ever a-took the monkeys who knowed the Hen! That girl was
up to more queer tricks than anybody of her size and shape--she had a
powerful fine shape, the Hen had--I've ever laid eyes on; and s