allows as how Jim's aimin' to cold-deck me when he onfolds about the
habits of them beans. It takes seven months, a iron constitootion,
an' three medicine-sharps--an' each as good as Doc Peets,--before
that Rio Grande party is regarded as outen danger.'"




CHAPTER VI.

TUCSON JENNIES HEART.


"'Whyever ain't I married?' says you." The Old Cattleman repeated
the question after me as he settled himself for one of our many
"pow-wows," as he described them. "Looks like you've dealt me that
conundrum before. Why ain't I wedded? The answer to that, son, is a
long shot an' a limb in the way.

"Now I reckons the reason why I'm allers wifeless a whole lot is
mainly due to the wide pop'larity of them females I takes after.
Some other gent sorter gets her first each time, an' nacherally that
bars me. Bill Jenks's wife on that occasion is a spec'men case.
That's one of the disapp'intments I onfolds to you. Now thar's a
maiden I not only wants, but needs; jest the same, Bill gets her.
An' it's allers sim'lar; I never yet holds better than ace-high when
the stake's a lady.

"It's troo," he continued, reflectively puffing his pipe. "I was
disp'sitioned for a wife that a-way when I'm a colt. But that's a