'
Here he pushed his reserve into the breach and
when his gabble-gear was again disengaged re-
sumed his uplifting discourse.
'I had one of them on this ranch five years ago,
and I'll tell you about it, so that you can see the
nub of this whole question. I didn't pan out par-
ticularly well those days--drank more whisky than
was prescribed for me and didn't seem to care for my
duty as a patriotic American citizen; so I took that
pagan in, as a kind of cook. But when I got religion
over at the Hill and they talked of running me for
the Legislature it was given to me to see the light.
But what was I to do? If I gave him the go somebody
else would take him, and mightn't treat him white.
What was I to do? What would any good Christian
do, especially one new to the trade and full to the
neck with the brotherhood of Man and the father-
hood of God?'
Jo. paused for a reply, with an expression of un-
stable satisfaction, as of one who has solved a prob-
lem by a distrusted method. Presently he rose and
swallowed a glass of whisky from a full bottle on
the counter, then resumed his story.
'Besides, he didn't count for much--didn't know
anything and gave himself airs. They all do that. I
said him nay, but he muled it through on that line
while he lasted; but after turning the other cheek
seventy and seven times I doctored the dice so that
he didn't last for ever. And I'm almighty glad I had
the sand to do it.
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