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"TRAVELIN' ON" 19

here to answer for my words to any of this thing's
friends after I'm thru with him. A few days ago
somethin' was said about this thing lookin' like what
is now my little Jacko, and as the little feller ain't
big enough to resent the insult, I'm here to do it fer
him. I reckon my little Jacko would play with a
snake and see in him a member of his fambly of ani-
mals, but he sure resents bein' classed with a thing
that is lower than a snake's hips. I'm tellin' you this
and I'm J.B." These words fall from the lips of this
minister of justice in cool tones and his steady eyes
never leave those he is addressing. The face of Dandy
Allen McGee is livid, is bloated with rage. He, Dandy
-Allen McGee, is being forever disgraced, forever
ruined in the eyes of the only people in the world
who could ever respect him, and he dare not draw.
He knows what his tempter wants but he dare not
draw. Cold sweat gathers in great beads upon his
forehead, his muscles twist convulsively, but before
him stands that cool steady machine of death and be
dare not draw. Not a sound could be heard but the
ticking of the clock over the bar. And then the man
walks slowly over to him, not a word is said, as the man
cooly removes his hat from his head, all is tense and
silent, and the man carefully folds his hat lengthwise
and slowly takes hold of one end of it arid then with
lightning swiftness, and with all the force of his power-
ful arm he draws it full across the face of the man
monkey, Dandy Allen McGee. And as he, blinded,
cries out in pain and rage, the man cooly straightens
out his hat and places it upon his head, and all, as tho
it were one action, turns deliberately and walks toward
the door. There is a snarl like that of a wild beast
at bay. Dandy Allen McGee reaches for his gun and
fires, but the man has turned and fired first. And as