Wolfville | Page 7

Cherokee would tell you so himse'f.
"This yere tangle I'm thinkin' of ain't more'n a month after Cherokee
takes to residin' in Wolfville. He comes trailin' in one evenin' from
Tucson, an' onfolds a layout an' goes to turnin' faro- bank in the Red
Light. No one remarks this partic'lar, which said spectacles is frequent.
The general idee is that Cherokee's on the squar' an' his game is straight,
an' of course public interest don't delve no further into his affairs.
"Cherokee, himse'f, is one of these yere slim, silent people who ain't
talkin' much, an' his eye for color is one of them raw grays, like a new
bowie.

"It's perhaps the third day when Cherokee begins to struggle into public
notice. Thar's a felon whose name is Boone, but who calls himse'f the
'Stingin' Lizard,' an' who's been pesterin' 'round Wolfville, mebby, it's a
month. This yere Stingin' Lizard is thar when Cherokee comes into
camp; an' it looks like the Stingin' Lizard takes a notion ag'in Cherokee
from the jump.
"Not that this yere Lizard is likely to control public feelin' in the matter;
none whatever. He's some onpop'lar himself. He's too toomultuous for
one thing, an' he has a habit of molestin' towerists an' folks he don't
know at all, which palls on disinterested people who has dooties to
perform. About once a week this Lizard man goes an' gets the treemers,
an' then the camp has to set up with him till his visions subsides. Fact is,
he's what you-alls East calls 'a disturbin' element,' an' we makes ready
to hang him once or twice, but somethin' comes up an' puts it off, an'
we sorter neglects it.
"But as I says, he takes a notion ag'in Cherokee. It's the third night after
Cherokee gets in, an' he's ca'mly behind his box at the Red Light, when
in peramb'lates this Lizard. Seems like Cherokee, bein' one of them
quiet wolves, fools up the Lizard a lot. This Lizard's been hostile an'
blood-hungry all day, an' I reckons he all at once recalls Cherokee; an',
deemin' of him easy, he allows he'll go an' chew his mane some for
relaxation.
"If I was low an' ornery like this Lizard, I ain't none shore but I'd be
fooled them days on Cherokee myse'f. He's been fretful about his
whiskey, Cherokee has,--puttin' it up she don't taste right, which not
onlikely it don't; but beyond pickin' flaws in his nose- paint thar ain't
much to take hold on about him. He's so slim an' noiseless besides, thar
ain't none of us but figgers this yere Stingin' Lizard's due to stampede
him if he tries; which makes what follows all the more impressive.
"So the Lizard projects along into the Red Light, whoopin' an' carryin'
on by himse'f. Straightway he goes up ag'inst Cherokee's layout.
"I don't buy no chips," says the Lizard to Cherokee, as he gets in
opposite. "I puts money in play; an' when I wins I wants money sim'lar.

Thar's fifty dollars on the king coppered; an' fifty dollars on the eight
open. Turn your kyards, an' turn 'em squar'. If you don't, I'll peel the
ha'r an' hide plumb off the top of your head."
"Cherokee looks at the Lizard sorter soopercillus an' indifferent; but he
don't say nothin'. He goes on with the deal, an', the kyards comin' that
a-way, he takes in the Lizard's two bets.
"Durin' the next deal the Lizard ain't sayin' much direct, but keeps
cussin' an' wranglin' to himse'f. But he's gettin' his money up all the
time; an' with the fifty dollars he lose on the turn, he's shy mebby four
hundred an' fifty at the close.
"'Bein' in the hole about five hundred dollars,' says the Lizard, in a
manner which is a heap onrespectful, ' an' so that a wayfarin' gent may
not be misled to rooin utter, I now rises to ask what for a limit do you
put on this deadfall anyhow?'
"'The bridle's plumb off to you, amigo,' says Cherokee, an' his tones is
some hard. I notices it all right enough, 'cause I'm doin' business at the
table myse'f at the time, an' keepin' likewise case on the game. `The
bridle's plumb off for you,' says Cherokee, 'so any notion you entertains
in favor of bankruptin' of yourse'f quick may riot right along.'
"'You're dead shore of that?' says the Lizard with a sneer. `Now I
reckons a thousand-dollar bet would scare this puerile game you deals
a-screechin' up a tree or into a hole, too easy.'
"`I never likes to see no gent strugglin' in the coils of error,' says
Cherokee, with a sneer a size larger than the Lizard's; `I don't know
what wads of wealth them pore old clothes of