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Updated: June 1, 2025
"I had a run-in with that feller the other night," he said. "What feller do you mean?" "Jedlick, dern him." "You did? I didn't notice any of your ears bit off." "No, we didn't come to licks. He tried to horn in while me and Alta was out on the porch." "What did you do?" "I didn't have a show to do anything but hand him a few words.
When they were safely past he cast a cautious look behind. "I guess that settled her hash!" he said. "Yes, and I'd like to wad a handful of chewin' gum in them old bangs before I leave this man's town!" "You've broken her chance for a happy married life with Jedlick, Taterleg. Your heart's as hard as a bone."
"Looks to me like I know another feller that an operation wouldn't hurt," the Duke remarked, turning a sly eye on his friend. The landlord appeared with a lamp to light them to their beds, putting an end to these exchanges of threat and banter. As he was leaving them to their double-barreled apartment, Lambert remarked: "That man Jedlick's an interesting-lookin' feller." "Ben Jedlick?
Taterleg sat a little while thinking about it. Presently he resumed his repose, chuckling a choppy little laugh. "Jedlick! Jedlick ain't got no more show than a cow. When a lady steps in and takes a man's part there's only one answer, Duke. And she called me a gentleman, too. Didn't you hear her call me a gentleman, Duke?" "I seem to remember that somebody else called you that one time."
"I slung down on him time enough to blow him in two, and pulled on my trigger, not aimin' to hurt the old sooner, only to snap a bullet between his toes, but she wouldn't work. Old Jedlick he was so rattled at the sight of that gun in my hand he banged loose, slap through the winder into that box of plug back of the counter.
"I can take care of it," Taterleg returned, a bit hurt by the suggestion, lofty and distant in his declaration. "No harm intended, old feller. I just didn't want you to go pepperin' old Jedlick over a girl that's as fickle as you say Alta Wood is." "I ain't a-goin' to pull a gun on no man till he gives me a good reason, Duke, but if he gives me the reason, I want to be heeled.
"Only thing can beat it, Duke money. Money can beat it, but a man's got to have a lick or two of common sense to go with it, and some good looks on the side, if he picks off a girl as wise as Alta. When Jedlick was weak enough to cut off his mustache, he killed his chance." "Is he in town tonight, do you reckon?" "I seen his horse in front of the saloon.
Alta she got me by the arm and drug me in the parlor and slammed the door. No use tryin' to break away from that girl; she could pull a elephant away from his hay if she took a notion." "Didn't Jedlick try to hang on?" "No, he stood out in the office rumblin' to the old man, but that didn't bother me no more than the north wind when you're in bed under four blankets.
"I walked over to the winder where that girl was lookin' out to see Jedlick wipe up the porch with me, and I handed her the gun, and I says: 'Give this to Mr. Jedlick with my regards, I says, 'and tell him if he wants any more to send me word. Well, she come out, and I called her on what she done to my gun. She swore she didn't mean it for nothin' but a joke.
"I used to roll 'em in flour and swaller 'em with the feathers on," said he. "You're a terrible rough feller, ain't you?" Taterleg inquired with cutting sarcasm. Alta led Jedlick off to his corner; Taterleg and Lambert entered the hotel office. "Gee, but this is a windy night!" said the Duke, holding his hat on with both hands. "I'll let some of the wind out of him if he monkeys with me!"
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