Page:A La California.djvu/424

368 any use to take it, for I tell you that I'll be riding over these mountains when your bones are bleaching in the wind."

"Ef you do ride over these hills after to-day, it will be as a first-class ghost, for you will be a dead man in an hour from now."

At this moment Gabe Husker approached the prisoner and said: "I hope you'll 'scuze me for the part I've taken in this matter, and b'lieve that I've only done my dooty to my feller-citizens. You have had a fair trial, 'cording to the by-laws of Missouri, and I hope the decision is agreeable to you."

"I hain't got nothing to say agin it; it's all been conducted on the square; nary Jack was turned from the bottom. I am satisfied with everything so far. But you'll be doing me a favor if you'll hurry up matters a little and get through with it. I am anxious to get back to my game. I'm losin' a heap of money through the dern foolishness of you fellers."

"You had better be puttin' your cards in order for a game in the other world, 'cause you'll soon be a lay-out for the devil," remarked a bystander.

"May be you have something to bet that my lamp goes out to-day?"

"Yes, I have."

"Look here, Dave, you are making a dern fool of yourself," exclaimed the gambler, who had acted as the prisoner's counsel. "You are a bettin' agin yerself. The fust thing you know you'll have so many bets out that these fellers will lift you outen the world fur to win their bets. My advice to you is to prepare