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A Mountain Woman
〃I can take care of my complexion；〃 said Henderson； firmly。
The two looked each other straight in the eye。
〃You don't go on smoking that thing till you have apologized for that
grin you had on your phiz a moment ago。〃
〃I laugh when I please； and I smoke what I please；〃 said Henderson；
hotly； his face flaming as he realized that he was in for his first 〃row。〃
That was how it began。 How it would have ended is not known
probably there would have been only one John if it had not been for the
almost miraculous appear… ance at this moment of the third John。 For just
then the two belligerents found them… selves prostrate； their pistols only
half…cocked； and between them stood a man all gnarled and squat； like one
of those wind…torn oaks which grow on the arid heights。 He was no older
than the others； but the lines in his face were deep； and his large mouth
twitched as he said：
〃Hold on here； yeh fools！ There's too much blood in you to spill。 You'll
spile th' floor； and waste good stuff。 We need blood out here！〃
Gillispie bounced to his feet。 Henderson arose suspiciously； keeping
his eyes on his assailants。
〃Oh； get up！〃 cried the intercessor。 〃We don't shoot men hereabouts till
they git on their feet in fightin' trim。〃
〃What do you know about what we do here？〃 interrupted Gillispie。
〃This is the first time I ever saw you around。〃
〃That's so；〃 the other admitted。 〃I'm just down from Montana。 Came to
take up a quarter section。 Where I come from we give men a show； an' I
thought perhaps yeh did th' same here。〃
〃Why； yes；〃 admitted Gillispie； 〃we do。 But I don't want folks to laugh
too much not when I'm around unless they tell me what the joke is。 I
was just mentioning it to the gentleman；〃 he added； dryly。
〃So I saw；〃 said the other； 〃you're kind a emphatic in yer remarks。 Yeh
ought to give the gentleman a chance to git used to the ways of th' country。
He'll be as tough as th' rest of us if you'll give him a chance。 I kin see it in
him。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Henderson。 〃I'm glad you do me justice。 I wish you
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A Mountain Woman
wouldn't let daylight through me till I've had a chance to get my quarter
section。 I'm going to be one of you； either as a live man or a corpse。 But I
prefer a hundred and sixty acres of land to six feet of it。〃
〃There； now！〃 triumphantly cried the squat man。 〃Didn't I tell yeh？
Give him a show！ 'Tain't no fault of his that he's a tenderfoot。 He'll get
over that。〃
Gillispie shook hands with first one and then the other of the men。 〃It's
a square deal from this on；〃 he said。 〃Come and have a drink。〃
That's how they met John Henderson； John Gillispie； and John Waite。
And a week later they were putting up a shanty together for common use；
which overlapped each of their reservations； and satisfied the law with its
sociable subterfuge。
The life wasn't bad； Henderson decided； and he adopted all the ways of
the country in an astonishingly short space of time。 There was a freedom
about it all which was certainly complete。 The three alternated in the night
watch。 Once a week one of them went to town for provisions。 They were
not good at the making of bread； so they contented themselves with hot
cakes。 Then there was salt pork for a staple； and prunes。 They slept in
straw…lined bunks； with warm blankets for a covering。 They made a point
of bringing reading…matter back from town every week； and there were
always cards to fall back on； and Waite sang songs for them with natural
dramatic talent。
Nevertheless； in spite of their content… ment； none of them was sorry
when the opportunity offered for going to town。 There was always a bit of
stirring gossip to be picked up； and now and then there was a 〃show〃 at
the 〃opera…house；〃 in which； it is almost unnecessary to say； no opera had
ever been sung。 Then there was the hotel； at which one not only got good
fare； but a chat with the three daughters of Jim O'Neal； the proprietor
girls with the acci… dent of two Irish parents； who were； not… withstanding；
as typically American as they well could be。 A half…hour's talk with these
cheerful young women was all the more to be desired for the reason that
within riding distance of the three Johns' ranch there were only two other
women。 One was Minerva Fitch； who had gone out from Michigan
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A Mountain Woman
accompanied by an oil…stove and a knowl… edge of the English grammar；
with the intention of teaching school； but who had been unable to carry
these good intentions into execution for the reason that there were no
children to teach； at least； none but Bow…legged Joe。 He was a sad little
fellow； who looked like a prairie…dog； and who had very much the same
sort of an outlook on life。 The other woman was the brisk and efficient
wife of Mr。 Bill Deems； of 〃Missourah。〃 Mr。 Deems had never in his life
done any… thing； not even so much as bring in a basket of buffalo chips to
supply the scanty fire。 That is to say； he had done nothing strictly
utilitarian。 Yet he filled his place。 He was the most accomplished story…
teller in the whole valley； and this accomplishment of his was held in as
high esteem as the improvisa… tions of a Welsh minstrel were among his
reverencing people。 His wife alone depre… cated his skill； and interrupted
his spirited narratives with sarcastic allusions concerning the empty
cupboard； and the 〃state of her back；〃 to which； as she confided to any
who would listen； 〃there was not a rag fit to wear。〃
These two ladies had not； as may be surmised； any particular attraction
for John Henderson。 Truth to tell； Henderson had not come West with the
intention of lik… ing women； but rather with a determina… tion to see and
think as little of them as possible。 Yet even the most confirmed
misogynist must admit that it is a good thing to see a woman now and then；
and for this reason Henderson found it amusing to converse with the
amiable Misses O'Neal。 At twenty…five one cannot be unyielding in one's
avoidance of the sex。
Henderson； with his pony at a fine lope； was on his way to town one
day； in that comfortable frame of mind adduced by an absence of any ideas
whatever； when he suddenly became conscious of a shiver that seemed to
run from his legs to the pony； and back again。 The animal gave a startled
leap； and lifted his ears。 There was a stir… ring in the coarse grasses； the
sky； which a moment before had been like sapphire； dulled with an
indescribable grayness。
Then came a little singing afar off； as if from a distant convocation of
cicadæ；； and before Henderson could guess what it meant； a cloud of
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A Mountain Woman
dust was upon him； blinding and bewildering； pricking with sharp particles
at eyes and nostrils。 The pony was an ugly fellow； and when Henderson
felt him put his forefeet together； he knew what that meant； and braced
himself for the struggle。 But it was useless； he had not yet acquired the
knack of staying on the back of a bucking bronco； and the next moment he
was on the ground； and around him whirled that saffron chaos of dust。 The
temperature lowered every moment。 Henderson in… stinctively felt that
this was but the begin… ning of the storm。 He picked himself up without
useless regrets for his pony； and made his way on。
The saffron hue turned to blackness； and then out of the murk shot a
living green ball of fire； and ploughed into the earth。 Then sheets of water；
that seemed to come simultaneously from earth and sky； swept the prairie；
and in the midst of it struggled Henderson； weak as a little child； half
bereft of sense by the strange numbness of head and dullness of eye。
Another of those green balls fell and burst； as it actually appeared to him；
before his horrified eyes； and the bellow and blare of the explosion made
him cry out in a madness of fright and physical pain。 In the illumination he
had seen a cabin