"'I hopes you nails one, Cherokee,' says Enright; 'playin' even on this yere laig they shoots.'
"'I win once, I reckons', says Cherokee, 'over behind that big rock to the left.'
"'Shore enough he's got one Injun spread out; an', comin' along a little, Jack Moore turns up a second.
"'Yere's another,' says Jack, 'which breaks even on the bullet in Texas.'
"'That's right,' says Cherokee, 'I remembers now than is two. The kyards is comin' some Tast, an' I overlooks a bet.'
"We-alls gets Cherokee in all right, an' next day 'round comes the female tenderfoot to see him.
"'I wants to thank my defender,' she says.
"'You ain't onder no obligations, whatever, ma'am', says Cherokee, risin' up a little, while Faro Nell puts another goose-h'ar piller onder him. 'I simply prefers to do my fightin' in the canyon to doin' it at the ford; that's all. It's only a matter of straight business; nothin' more'n a preference I has. Another thing, ma'am; you-all forgives it, seein' I'm a gent onused to childish ways: but when I makes the play you names, I simply seizes on them savages that a-way as an excuse to get loose from them blessed children of your'n a whole lot.'"