pills. Magpie looks him over from all angles. “Somebody will kill you, Ajax, if you dress thataway,” says Magpie. “In memory of Professor Middleton me and Ike will have to dress you civilized-like, I reckon.” We got him into an old pair of boots, one of my shirts and an old sombrero of Magpie’s. He looks like ——, but he don’t know it. Then he wants another length of rope. “You going back to the same place?” I asks. He considers it a moment, and shakes his head. “I don’t believe I will. That vulgar person might accost me again, and I have no time to waste in combat. I will try in another direction, if it makes no particular difference.” “Me and Ike are neutral,” says Magpie. “If you’d tell us just about what in —— you’re hunting for, maybe we’d advise you.” “Oh, thank you. You see I wish to observe the effects of astragala——” “You’re welcome!” yelps Magpie. “Go ahead, and may you die in your boots.” “I fear that is impossible,” says Ajax. “The boots belong to you.” “Happy birthday!” yelps Magpie. “They’re yours, Ajax. Go to it.” “I will do my best, sir,” says he, and we watches him going over the hills, dragging his rope behind him. “Just plain crazy, Ike,” declares Magpie. “Plain crazy.” “Not Ajax,” says I. “Nossir! That feller is plumb fancy crazy. He’s gilt-edged, perfumed and embroidered, Magpie. He knows a million dollars’ worth of things that won’t never do him any good—things that other fellers like him have found out; and now he’s out here to find out something to pass on to them. It won’t never do him nor anybody else any good—but they’ll be glad.” We knocked off work late in the afternoon. I laid down on the bunk while Magpie fixes a kettle of beans. He’s standing in the door of the cabin, pouring the water off them beans, when all to once there comes a hunk of lead, knocks the kettle out of Magpie’s hand, and hives up in the foot of our bunk. Then comes the crack of a rifle. I sees Magpie elevate his hands, and I slips loose my six-shooter. Then here comes “Mighty” Jones,
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