"'You can go a yellow stack,' remarks Texas Thompson, who sets than plumb loquacious an' locoed to get in a speech, 'that Boggs sizes up right about them triboonals.They'rc a disturbin' element in any commoonity.I knowed a town in Texas which is that peaceful it's pastoral--that's what it is, it's like a sheep-fold, it's so mcck an' easy--ontil one day they ups an' plays a co't an' jedge an' jury on that camp; rings in a herd of law sharps, an' a passel of rangers with Winchesters to back the deal.The town's that fretted tharat it gets full of nose-paint to the brim, an' then hops into the street for gen'ral practice with its guns.In the mornin' the round-up shows two dead an' five wounded, an' all for openin' co't on an outfit which is too frail to stand the strain of so much justice to stand onexpected.' "'As I'm engaged in remarkin',' says Tutt, after Boggs an' Texas is redooced to quiet ag'in--Tutt bein' married most likely is used to interruptions, an' is shore patient that a-way--'as I states, they're holdin' co't, an' this day they emancipates from prison a party named Caribou Sam.They tries to prove this Caribou Sam is a hoss-thief, but couldn't fill on the draw, an' so Caribou works free of 'em an' is what they calls "'quitted.""'As soon as ever the marshal takes the hobbles off this Caribou Sam--he's been held a captif off some'ers an' is packed into Lido onder gyard to be tried a lot--this yore malefactor comes bulgin'
into the Sunflower an' declar's for fire-water.The barkeep deals to him, an' Caribou Sam is assuaged.
"'When he goes to pay, a gent who's standin' near shoves back his dust, an' says: "This is Jack Rainey's week--it's the great annyooal festival of Jack Rainey, an' your money's no good.""'"But I aims to drink some more poco tiempo," says this Caribou Sam, who is new to Lido, an' never yet hears of Jack Rainey an' his little game, "an' before I permits a gent to subsidize my thirst, an' go stackin' in for my base appetites, you can gamble I want to meet him an' make his acquaintance.Where is this yere sport Jack Rainey, an' whatever is he doin' this on?""'The party who shoves Caribou's dinero off the bar, tells him he can't pay, an' explains the play, an' exhorts him to drink free an'
frequent an' keep his chips in his war-bags.
"'"As I tells you," says this party to Caribou, "my friend Jack Rainey has treed the camp, an' no money goes yere but his till his further commands is known.Fill your hide, but don't flourish no funds, or go enlargin' on any weakness you has for buyin' your own licker.As for seein' Jack Rainey, it's plumb impossible.He's got too full to visit folks or be visited by 'em; but he's upsta'rs on some blankets, an' if his reason is restored by tomorry, you sends up your kyard an' pays him your regyards--pendin' of which social function, take another drink.Barkeep, pump another dose into this stranger, an' charge the same to Jack.""'"This yere sounds good," says Caribou Sam, "but it don't win over me.Ontil I sees this person Rainey, I shall shorely decline all bottles which is presented in his name.I've had a close call about a bronco I stole to-day, an' when the jury makes a verdict that they're sorry to say the evidence ain't enough to convict, the jedge warns me to be a heap careful of the company I maintains.He exhorts me to live down my past, or failin' which he'll hang me yet.With this bluff from the bench ringin' in my years, I shall refoose drinks with all onknown sots, ontil I sees for myse'f they's proper characters for me to be sociable with.Tharfore, barkeep, I renoo my determination to pay for them drinks; at the same tune, I orders another round.Do you turn for me or no?" "'"Not none you don't,"says the friend of Jack Rainey."You can drink, but you can't pay--leastwise, you-all can't pay without gettin' all sort o' action on your money.This Rainey you're worried about is as good a gent as me, an' not at all likely to shake the standin' of a common hoss-thief by merely buyin' his nose-paint."
"'"Mine is shorely a difficult p'sition," says Caribou Sam."What you imparts is scarce encouragin.' If this yere Rainey ain't no improvement onto you, I absolootely weakens on him an' turns aside from all relations of his proposin'.I'm in mighty bad report as the game stands, an' I tharfore insists ag'in on payin' for my own war medicine, as bein' a move necessary to protect my attitoodes before the public."With thesc yere observations, Caribou Sam makes a bluff at the barkeep with a handful of money.In remonstratin', Jack Rainey's pard nacherally pulls a gun, as likewise does Caribou Sam.Thar's the customary quantity of shootin', an' while neither Caribou nor his foe gets drilled, a bullet goes through the ceilin' an' sort o'
sa'nters in a careless, indifferent way into pore Jack Rainey, where he's bedded down an' snorin' up above.
"'Shore, he's dead, Rainey is,' concloodes Dave, 'an' his ontimely takin' off makes Lido quit loser for three days of licker free as air.He's a splendid, gen'rous soul, Jack Rainey is; an' as I says at the beginnin', he falls a sacrifice to his love for others, an'
in tryin' at his own expense to promote the happiness an' lift them burdens of his fellow-men.'
"'This yere miscreant, Caribou,' says Texas Thompson, 'is a mighty sight too punctilious about them drinks; which thar's no doubt of it.Do they lynch him?'
"'No,' says Tutt; 'from the calibre of the gun which fires the lead that snatches Rainey from us, it is cl'ar that it's the gent who's contendin' with Caribou who does it, Still public opinion is some sour over losin' them three days, an' so Caribou goes lopin' out of Lido surreptitious that same evenin', an' don't wait none on Rainey's obsequies.Caribou merely sends regrets by the barkeep of the Sunflower, reiterates the right to pay for them drink, an' Lido sees him no more.'"
