“Then the girl put her face in her hands and begun to cry.  She was a mighty pretty, innocent, plump little thing, and we’d rather have had most anything than that she should stand there cryin’.  But we were all hung by the feet and wandering in our minds.  The simple life of the cow-puncher doesn’t fit him to grapple with problems like that.

“Then, sir, up gets Ezekiel George Washington Scraggs, master of himself and the situation.

“‘Young lady,’ says he, ’I have got you out here under false pretenses.  I’m as homely as a hedge fence, and my record is dotted with marriages worse than a ’Pache outbreak with corpses and burning homes.  I ain’t any kind of proposition to tie up to a nice girl like you, and I swear by my honor that nothing was further from my thoughts than matrimony—­not meanin’ any slur on you, for if I’d found you before, I might have been a happy man—­Well, here I stand:  if you’ll marry me, say the word!’ By thunder, we gave him a cheer that shook the roof.  You can laugh if you like, but it was a noble deed.

“The girl reached out her left hand—­so help me Moses!  She liked him!  I took a careful squint at old Scraggsy, in this new light, and I want to tell you that there was something kind of fine in that long lean face of his, and when he took the girl’s hand he looked like a gentleman.

“You wouldn’t think that holding a gun to her head, and threatenin’ to blow her brains out was just the touch that would set a maiden’s heart tremblin’ for a man, but if a woman takes a fancy to you, your habits and customs, manners and morals, disposition, personal appearance, financial standing and way of doing things generally is only a little matter of detail.

“‘How will this figger out legally?’ E. G. W. asked the minister.

“The minister, he was a cheerful, practical sort of lad, ready to indorse anything that would smooth the rugged road of life.

“‘Do you renounce the Mormon religion?’ he asks.

“‘Bet your life,’ says Scraggs.  ‘And all its works.’

“‘That settles it,’ says the minister.  ’Besides, I don’t think anybody will ever come poking out here to make trouble—­whenever you say the word.’

“‘One minute,’ says Scraggs, and he turned to the girl very gentle.  ’Are you doing this of your own free will, and not because I lugged you out here?’

“‘Yessir,’ says she.

“‘You want me, just as I stand?’

“‘Yessir.’

“‘Keno.  I won’t forget it.’  Then he put his hand on her head, took off his hat, and raised his face.  ‘O God!’ he prays, ’you know what a miserable time I’ve had in this line before.  I admit it was nine-tenths my fault, but now I call for an honest deck and the hands played above the table.  And make me act decent for the sake of this nice little girl.  Amen.’  Then he pulled a twenty-dollar gold piece out of his pocket and plunked her down before the minister, ‘Shoot,’ says he.  ‘You’re faded.’