Down the Mother Lode

sir; a trifle, in

erchance, mi

im of all me

the truth in his

ce you ar

re if I do: you ma

no s

t Ha

ch would promulgate betting was countenanced, and even encouraged. There were dog fi

oors. The harborers of the contestants simply reached under their shirts, drew forth a doughty gr

f dollars were sometimes bet upon the outcome. Arguments arising from various combats often d

to view the greatest contest of the age. See the champion fighting ja

ar to get inside the ropes," and Webfoot Watson waved a well-kept hand toward the arena. It was a pine-staked palisade, bound around the top with

o stand on. The show will begin immediately.

goin' to pay a dollar for this here show jest because I ain't no tree-climbin' animal, you're pickin'

ed in the trees, in some instances not without the aid of his s

twenty jackasses eatin', down to the boardin' house at Blue Tent any

hy, that ain't no grizzly. Sufferin' st

ter mister-old

m up! Give 'im-" but the little cinnamon bear reached the fence in three jumps, scaled it, and took to

f the occasion. He was taken at the head of a long procession of miners and made the occasion for

ough with the little fellow?" asked a yo

ok at the purple raiment! Man,

turned out to be a rich one. W

? Sic 'im, Rover!" and the fickle and drink-befuddled m

ard?" The long ears lifted at once, and the soft hairy muzzle took the delicacy daintily out of his fingers. Anthony pett

air shall play," she told him courteously,

one on you! The madam, here, sees your brand new togs

cause ze mistake. I have now bette

sit in, though," observed C

nding just behind his chair, head hanging, ears lopping, le

lm exterior, which does conceal the fiery depths of his nature; in fact, all his so-called animal attributes I prefer, to the more sophisticated allure

and a man kicked a dog in through the door, to

pringing upon the miner, who immediately closed

, for why

icked. I lost

u shell out, you Buckeye Pete!" spoke up a

ight, Spotty Collin

so!" called a

lding him against his immaculate new frilled shirt, he strode away toward his claim over the mountain. The jack, whose attitude had hair

kicked, scattering the crowd in all directions. When the men watching Anthony down the street, burst

nthony, belo

en name of a dog is for such as you too good to be call'.

eye. There's no other jackass

d in a perfect indi

ve you hear

r, I 'ave sle

s morning, robbed and murdered. You see, he

e beeg

s shot

er, zey 'a

h. He just got back from Sacramento and he went righ

It is Monsi

N

y woman's hea

's the fightin' jack followin' the

true! It

s clothes are covered with blood

strike in my claim.

court thinks you oughtn

r there in the plaza with his back against th

ou to your room for

ason, if I am so inclined, that I should not teach my fellow-citizens the great moral lesson of the overthrow and debasement of genius by the demon rum? Am I not better employed than if in a stifling,

hey had vanished into a near bar, "I'll have

st" and was dispensing drinks with a liberality which soon brought hi

long have you

, four mont

here. I mean

x ye-ar,

hat you've earned it all workin', and that you're

y say, too mu

in' me no orders, you F

ing. Pete strolled out, followed by his satellites. When the noises in the street grew louder it caused no particular com

Take a good look, an' don't miss the necktie he's wearin'. Pretty li'l rope choker we got for Dandy An

hissed Mignon.

' tree." She turned and dashed for the re

der, "he left two hours ago on a new case,

ther Marie, pray for him," she cried, in her ow

fighting donkey still following the master whom he had adopted. He made his way to the very center o

The judgment of le bon

off! Pull her d

l next to the bound man on the horse beneath the hanging tre

with tanglefoot, could face the wicked teeth, and hoofs, and kicks which had conquered wild Texas bulls

king, kicking, squealing, with the venom and speed and precision of

ew dog fight? Monsieur Pete! Who has anger at Monsieur Ant'ony for because I, Mignon, 'ave look once again at Monsieur, who is so kind to all who I ave pain? Monsieur Pe

silence save for the crackle of

e paused. A long way down the canyon she heard horses galloping on t

uggled forw

er bosom. "Come on! Ze jackass, he is ke-e-ll five! I, Mignon, I k

death which awaited them. Mignon set her arms akimbo, the gu

ngrily. "Anthony Barstow is innocent. These men can prove that they spent the night at Barstow's cabin. When I learned

nthony's neck, laughing and

sheriff. "I know you're need in' your arms, but that rip-snorti

ck in as a deputy sheriff, and set him to watchin' road agents confine

time that night, took out grisly fruit to hang on the lynching tree. There were no pine knots and no attemp

tter pray for the soul of the man you sent to Purgatory, and for

t's

htin' jack, pr

e always told in conclusion, "they say, as the men gave a mighty heave on the ro