“‘I ain’t none so shore neither,’ says Peets.  ’Love may be blind, but somehow, I don’t sign up the play that way.  Thar’s plenty of people, same as this pinfeather party, who discerns beauties in their sweethearts that’s veiled to you an’ me.’

“Of course, these yere discussions concernin’ Abby’s charms takes place weeks later.  On the weddin’ day, Wolfville’s too busy trackin’ ’round an’ backin’ Abby’s game to go makin’ remarks.  In this connection, however, it’s only right to Abby to say that her pinfeather beau don’t share Missis Rucker’s views.  Although Abby done threatens him with a gun-play to make him lead her to the altar that time her old paw creases him, an’ he begins to wax low-sperited about wedlock, still, the pinfeather party’s enamoured of Abby an’ wropped up in her.

“’Shore! says this pinfeather party to Texas Thompson, who, outen pity for him, takes the bridegroom over to the Red Light, to be refreshed; ‘shore! while thar’s no one that egreegious to go claimin’ that my Abby’s doo to grade as “cornfed,” all the same she’s one of the most fascinatin’ ladies,—­that is, an’ give her a gun,—­in all the len’th an’ breadth of Arizona.  I knows; for I’ve seen my Abby shoot.’

“‘Excoose me, pard,’ says Texas, after surveyin’ the pinfeather party plenty sympathetic; ‘pardon my seemin’ roodness, if I confers with the barkeep aside.  On the level! now,’ goes on Texas to Black Jack as he pulls him off to a corner an’ whispers so the pinfeather party don’t hear; ’on the level, Jack! ain’t it my dooty—­me who saveys what he’s ag’inst—­to go warn this victim ag’in matrimony in all its horrors?’

“‘Don’t you do it!’ remonstrates Black Jack, an’ his voice trembles with the emphasis he feels; ’don’t you do it none!  You-all stand paws off!  Which you don’t know what you’ll be answerable for!  If this yere marriage gets broke off, who knows what new line of conduct this Abby maiden will put out.  She may rope onto Boggs, or Peets, or mebby even me.  As long as Abby ain’t marryin’ none of us, Wolfville’s attitoode oughter be one of dignified nootrality.’

“Texas sighs deep an’ sad as he turns ag’in to the pinfeather party; but he sees the force of Black Jack’s argyments an’ yields without a effort to combat ’em.

“‘After all,’ says Texas bitterly to himse’f, ’others has suffered; wherefore, then, should this jaybird gent escape?’ An’ with that, Texas hardens his heart an’ gives up any notion of the pinfeather person’s rescoo.

“Which Abby now issues forth of the O.K.  Restauraw an’ j’ines the pinfeather party when he emerges from the Red Light.

“‘This sky pilot,’ says Dan Boggs, approachin’ the happy couple, ’sends word by me that he’s over in the New York store.  In deefault of a shore-enough sanchooary, he allows he yootilises that depot of trade as a headquarters; an’ he’s now waitin’, all keyed up an’ ready to turn his little game.  Likewise, he’s been complainin’ ’round some querulous that you folks is harsh with him, an’ abducts him an’ threatens his skelp.’