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 Gillett in the plaza and tote him to the calaboose?'

"'Can I what?' asks Keeley, some confused. And seventeen explained to him at the top o' their voices, and the sport in him woke up, and he let on, modestly enough, that he'd do his best.

"And Ginger let on that he also would do his best. And the town struck work, and the stores shut up, and it was like as if the Fourth of July had been sprung on us in April, and everyone talked, and the bars was full, and the womenfolk came out to see,—Painted Rock buzzed like a hive of bees. I never see the like. But I was busy, for it had to be arranged, and me and his chief supporter did it, and we drew up regulations for the Roman combat in the plaza with a view of obviatin' any difficulty hereafter. And our rules for the circus was roughly these:—

"First. The combat will take place in three days, so as to avoid trainin', seein' that we want the nat'rally best man.

"Second. The trouble will commence in