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Sandytop threw one of his only two shoes after it for luck. As the stage was disappearing around a bend, a little way from the crossing, the back curtain was suddenly thrown up, a baby, backed by a white hat and yellow beard, was seen, and a familiar voice was heard to roar, "Allan Buffle Berryn." "Nice place?
"It's all right, gentlemen," said the doctor "as fine a boy as I ever saw." "My treat for the rest of the evening, boys," said the barkeeper, hurriedly crowding glasses and bottles on the bar. "Her," "Him," "Him, Junior," "Buffle," "Doc.," and "Old Rockershop," as some happily inspired miner dubbed little Muggy, were drunk successively. The door opened again, and in walked Allan Berryn.
"Stand back, the hull crowd uv yer," said Buffle; "this ain't no fight me an' the gentleman got private bizness." And, laying his hand on Berryn's shoulder, he said, "What are yer doin' here, when yer know a lady like that?" "Suffering hell for abusing heaven," replied Berryn, passionately. "Then why don't yer go back?" inquired Buffle.
So Buffle took his horse, and sought his man elsewhere. Meanwhile, Mrs. Berryn remained in camp, where she was cared for in a manner which called out her astonishment equally with her gratitude. Buffle was hardly well out of the Gulch when Mrs. Berryn heard a knock at the door; she opened it, and a man handed her a frying-pan, with the remark, "Buffle is cracked," and hastily disappeared.
"Got all his front teeth, mum?" asked the man Buffle had rebuked; then he turned quickly to Buffle, who was frowning suspiciously, and said, appeasingly, "Yer know, Buffle, that bein' a gentleman don't keep a feller from losin' his teeth in the nateral course of things." "He had all his front teeth a few months ago," replied Mrs. Berryn.
Now I tell yer what I want yer to go back to my camp I've got plenty uv gold, an' it's no good to me, only fur gamblin' an' drinkin'; yer welcome to enough uv it to git yerself home, an' git on yer feet when yer get thar." Berryn looked doubtingly at him as they entered the saloon. "P'r'aps somebody here ken tell this gentleman my name?" said Buffle. "Buffle!" said several voices in chorus.
Saying which, Buffle hurried out to look for Mrs. Berryn. He soon overtook her, and awkwardly said: "Mum!" She stopped. "Yer don't need to start till after daylight to reach that stage, mum, an' you'd better come back and rest yerself in my shanty till mornin'." "I am very much obliged, sir," she replied, "but " "Don't be afeard, mum," said Buffle, hastily.
Berryn ate from crockery instead of tin, and had a china wash-bowl and pitcher. Little Muggy, who sold out his claim the day after Buffle left, went to San Francisco, but reappeared in camp in a few days, with a large bundle, a handsaw and a plane.
Buffle started toward the door, stopped as if he had something else to say, started again, hesitated, feigned indignation at the baby, flushed the least bit, opened the door, partly closed it again, squeezed himself out and displaying only the tip of his nose, roared: "This baby's name is Allan Buffle Berryn Allen Buffle Berryn!" and then rushed at full speed to leave the baby at home, while the boys clinked glasses melodiously.
Meanwhile, Buffle had been untiring in his search, as his horse, could he have spoken, would have testified. Men wondered what Berryn had done to Buffle, and odds of ten to one that some undertaker would soon have reason to bless Buffle were freely offered, but seldom taken.
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