an' has arranged a heap diff'rent. In the next place, I never stands
up no stage.'

"'That's what they all says,' puts in Boggs, who's a mighty
impatient man. 'I shorely notes no reason why we-alls can't proceed
with this yere lynchin' at once. S'pose this Cherokee ain't stood up
no stage; he's done plenty of other things as merits death. It
strikes me thar's a sight of onnecessary talk yere."

"'If you ain't out working the road,' says Doc Peets to Cherokee,
not heedin' of Bogg's petulance, 'them stage-robbin' times, s'pose
you onfolds where you was at?"

"Well, son, not to string this yere story out longer'n three drinks,
yere is how it is: This Cherokee it looks like is soft-hearted that
a-way,--what you calls romantic. An' it seems likewise that shovin'
the Stingin' Lizard from shore that time sorter takes advantage an'
feeds on him. So he goes browsin' 'round the postmaster all casooal,
an' puts questions. Cherokee gets a p'inter about some yearlin' or
other in Tucson this Stingin' Lizard sends money to an' makes good
for, which he finds the same to be fact on caperin' over. It's a
nephy or some sech play. An' the Stingin' Lizard has the young one
staked out over thar, an' is puttin' up for his raiment an' grub all
reg'lar enough.

"'Which I yereafter backs this infant's play myse'f,' says Cherokee
to the barkeep of the Oriental Saloon over in Tucson, which is the
party the Stingin' Lizard pastures the young one on. 'You're all
right, Bill,' goes on this Cherokee to the barkeep,' but now I goes
back of the box for this infant boy, I reckons I'll saw him off onto