第20章

TUCSON JENNIE'S JEALOUSY.

"No; Dave an' his wife prospers along all right.That is, they prospers all but once; that's when Jennie gets jealous."The Old Cattleman was responding to my question.I was full of an idle interest and disposed to go further into the affairs of Tutt and Tucson Jennie.

"Doc Peets," continued the old gentleman, "allers tells me on the side thar's nothin' in Dave's conduct onbecomin' a fam'ly man that a-way, an' that Jen's simply barkin' at a knot.But, however that is, Dave don't seem to gain no comfort of it at the time.I can see myse'f she gets Dave plumb treed an' out on a limb by them accusations when she makes 'em.He shorely looks guilty; an' yet, while I stands over the play from the first, I can't see where Dave does wrong.

"However, I don't put myse'f for'ard as no good jedge in domestic affairs.Bein' single myse'f that a-way, females is ondoubted what Doc Peets calls a 'theery' with me.But nevertheless, in an onpresoomin', lowly way, I gives it as my meager jedgement, an' Igives it cold, as how a jealous woman is worse than t'rant'lers.

She's plumb locoed for one thing; an' thar's no sech thing as organizin' to meet her game.For myse'f, I don't want no transactions with 'em; none whatever.

"This yere domestic uprisin' of Dave's wife breaks on Wolfville as onexpected as a fifth ace in a poker deck; it leaves the camp all spraddled out.Tucson Jennie an' Dave's been wedded goin' on six months.The camp, as I relates, attends the nuptials in a body, an', followin' of the festivities, Tucson Jennie an' Dave tumbles into housekeepin' peaceful as two pups in a basket.

"Wolfville's proud of 'em, an'every time some ign'rant bein' asks about Wolfville an' the social features of the camp, we allers mentions Tutt an' his wife, an' tells how they keeps house, sorter upholsterin' our bluff.

"That's how the deal stands, when one day up jumps this Tucson Jennie, puts on her sunbunnit, an' goes stampedin' down to the U.K.

House, an' allows to Missis Rucker that she's done lived with Dave all she aims to, an' has shore pulled her picket pin for good.She puts it up Dave is a base, deceitful sharp that a-way, an' informs Missis Rucker, all mixed up with tears, as how she now desires to go back in the kitchen an' cook, same as when Dave rounds her up for his wife.

"Yere's the whole story, an' while I nurses certain views tharon, Ileaves it to you entire to say how much Tucson Jennie is jestified.

I knows all about it, for I'm obleeged to be in on the deal from soda to hock.

"It's mighty likely a month before the time Tucson Jennie breaks through Dave's lines this a-way.Dave an' me's due to go over towards the Tres Hermanas about some cattle.Likewise thar's an English outfit allowin' they'll go along some, to see where they've been stackin' in heavy on some ranch lands.They was eager for Dave an' me to trail along with 'em, an' sorter ride herd on' em, an'

keep 'em from gettin' mixed up with the scenery--which the same is shorely complicated in the foot-hills of the Tres Hermanas--an'

losin' themse'fs a heap.

"'Which you'd better do it, boys,' says Enright.'S'pose them folks be some trouble.It's a mighty sight better than havin' 'em go p'intin' off alone that a-way.They would shore miss the way if they does; an' the first we-alls knows, these yere Britons would be runnin' cimmaron in the hills, scarin' up things a lot, an' a-stampedin' the cattle plumb off the range.It's easier to go along careful with 'em an' bring'em back.'

"It comes, then, that one mornin' Dave an' me an' these yere aliens lines out for the hills.They've got ponies, an' wagons, an' camp-outfit to that extent a casooal onlooker might think they aims to be away for years.

"As we p'ints out from the O.K.House, where them Britons has been wrastlin' their chuck pendin' the start, Tucson Jennie is thar sayin' 'goodby' to Dave.I notes then she ain't tickled to death none about somethin', but don't deem nothin' speshul of it.

"The Britons is made up of two gents, mebby as old as Enright--brothers is what they be--an' a female who's the daughter of one of 'em.Which thar's nothin' recent about this yere lady, though; an' Ireckons she's mighty likely forty years old.I learns later, however, it's this female which Tucson Jennie resents when she says "adios" to Dave.

"It shore strikes me now, when years is passed, as some marv'lous how a han'some, corn-fed female like Tucson Jennie manages to found a fight with Dave over this yere towerist woman.I'm nacherally slow to go decidin' bets ag'in a lady's looks, but whatever Tucson Jennie sees in the appearance of this person which is likely to inviggle Dave is too many for me.I softens the statement a heap when I says she's uglier than a Mexican sheep.

"However, that don't seem to occur to Tucson Jennie; an' Doc Peets--who's the wisest sharp in Arizona--allows to me afterwards as how Tucson Jennie is cuttin' the kyards with herse'f desp'rate to see whether she declar's war at the very time we makes our start.If she does, she turns the low kyard, for she don't say nothin', an' we gets away, an' all is profound peace.

"Four days later we're in camp by a water-hole in the frill of the foot-hills.The Britons has got up a wall tent an' is shorely havin'

a high an' lavish time.Dave an' me ain't payin' no attention to 'em speshul, as we don't see how none is needed.Besides, we has some hard ridin' to do lookin' up places for a line of sign camps.

"It's the second day when we notices an outfit of Injuns camped down the valley from us.They's all serene an' peaceful enough; with squaws, papooses, an' dogs; an' ain't thinkin' no more of bein'

hostile than we be.

"Of course, no sooner does these yere Britons of ours behold this band of savages than they has to go projectin' round 'em.That's the worst thing about a towerist; he's that loaded with cur'osity, an'