“‘By every roole of law,’ says Jack at epocks when he declar’s himse’f, ‘an’ on all o’casions, I, as kettle-tender to the Stranglers, is entitled to the first shot.  When I uses the term ‘o’casion,’ I would be onderstood as alloodin’ to affairs of a simply social kind, an’ not to robberies, hold-ups, hoss-larcenies, an’ other an’ sim’lar transactions in spec’latif crime when every gent defends his own.  Speakin’ social, however, I reasserts that by every roole of guidance, I’m entitled to the first shot.  Which a doo regyard for these plain rights of mine would go far to freein’ Wolfville upper circles of the bullets which occurs from time to time, an’ which even the most onconventional admits is shore a draw-back.  All I can add as a closer,’ concloods Jack, ’is that I’ll make haste to open on any sport who transgresses these fiats an’ goes to shootin’ first.  Moreover, it’s likely that said offender finds that when I’m started once, what I misses in the orig’nal deal I’ll make up in the draw, an’ I tharfore trusts that none will prove so sooicidal as to put me to the test.’

“This Bird Cage Op’ry House evenin’, however, Jack is absent a heap.  Dan Boggs is present, an’ is leanin’ back appreciatin’ the show an’ the Valley Tan plenty impartial.  Dan likes both an’ is doin’ ’em even jestice.  Over opp’site to Dan is a drunken passel of sports from Red Dog, said wretched hamlet bein’ behind Wolfville in that as in all things else an’ not ownin’ no op’ry house.

“As the evenin’ proceeds—­it’s about sixth drink time—­a casyooal gun goes off over among the Red Dog outfit, an’ the lead tharfrom bores a hole in the wall clost to Dan’s y’ear.  Nacherally Dan don’t like it.  The show sort o’ comes to a balk, an’ takin’ advantages of the lull Dan arises in a listless way an’ addresses the Red Dogs.

“‘I merely desires to inquire,’ says Dan ’whether that shot is inadvertent; or is it a mark of innocent joobilation an’ approval of the show; or is it meant personal to me?’

“‘You can bet your moccasins!’ shouts one of the Red Dog delegation, ‘thar’s no good fellowship with that gun-play.  That shot’s formal an’ serious an’ goes as it lays.’

“‘My mind bein’ now cl’ar on the subject of motive,’ says Dan; ’the proper course is plain.’”

With this retort Dan slams away gen’ral—­shoots into the flock like—­at the picnickers from Red Dog, an’ a party who’s plenty drunk an’ has his feet piled up on a table goes shy his off big toe.

“As I remarks yeretofore it’s as well Jack Moore ain’t thar.  Jack would have corralled something more momentous than a toe.  Which Jack would have been shootin’ in his capac’ty as marshal, an’ couldn’t onder sech circumstances have stooped to toes.  But it’s different with Dan.  He is present private an’ only idlin’ ‘round; an’ he ain’t driven to take high ground.  More partic’lar since Dan’s playin’ a return game in the nacher of reproofs an’ merely to resent the onlicensed liberties which Red Dog takes with him, Dan, as I says, is free to accept toes if he so decides.