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Annie。
Jim was walking around with his hands in his pockets； looking
unconcerned； and； as the furniture began to go off； he came and sat down
in the midst of it。 Every one noticed his indifference。 Some of them said
that after all he couldn't have been very ambitious。 He didn't seem to take
his failure much to heart。 Every one was concentrating attention on the
cooking… stove； when Jim leaned forward； quickly； over a little wicker
work…stand。
There was a bit of unfinished sewing there； and it fell out as he lifted
the cover。 It was a baby's linen shirt。 Jim let it lie； and then lifted from its
receptacle a silver thimble。 He put it in his vest…pocket。
The campaign came on shortly after this； and Jim Lancy was defeated。
〃I'm going to Omaha；〃 said he to the station…master； 〃and I've got just
enough to buy a ticket with。 There's a kind of satisfaction in giv… ing the
last cent I have to the railroads。〃
Two months later； a 〃plain drunk〃 was registered at the station in
Nebraska's me… tropolis。 When they searched him they found nothing in
his pockets but a silver thimble； and Joe Benson； the policeman who had
brought in the 〃drunk；〃 gave it to the matron； with his compliments。 But
she； when no one noticed； went softly to where the man was sleeping； and
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A Mountain Woman
slipped it back into his pocket； with a sigh。 For she knew somehow as
women do know things that he had not stolen that thimble。
THE equinoctial line itself is not more imaginary than the line which
divided the estates of the three Johns。 The herds of the three Johns roamed
at will； and nibbled the short grass far and near without let or hindrance；
and the three Johns them… selves were utterly indifferent as to boun… dary
lines。 Each of them had filed his application at the office of the
government land…agent； each was engaged in the tedious task of 〃proving
up；〃 and each owned one…third of the L…shaped cabin which stood at the
point where the three ranches touched。 The hundred and sixty acres which
would have completed this quadrangle had not yet been 〃taken up。〃
The three Johns were not anxious to have a neighbor。 Indeed； they had
made up their minds that if one appeared on that adjoining 〃hun'erd an'
sixty；〃 it would go hard with him。 For they did not deal in justice very
much the three Johns。 They considered it effete。 It belonged in the
East along with other outgrown supersti… tions。 And they had given it out
widely that it would be healthier for land applicants to give them elbow…
room。 It took a good many miles of sunburnt prairie to afford elbow…room
for the three Johns。
They met by accident in Hamilton at the land…office。 John Henderson；
fresh from Cincinnati； manifestly unused to the ways of the country；
looked at John Gillispie with a lurking smile。 Gillispie wore a sombrero；
fresh； white； and expansive。 His boots had high heels； and were of elegant
leather and finely arched at the instep。 His corduroys disappeared in them
half…way up the thigh。 About his waist a sash of blue held a laced shirt of
the same color in place。 Hender… son puffed at his cigarette； and continued
to look a trifle quizzical。
Suddenly Gillispie walked up to him and said； in a voice of complete
suavity； 〃Damn yeh； smoke a pipe！〃
〃Eh？〃 said Henderson； stupidly。
〃Smoke a pipe；〃 said the other。 〃That thing you have is bad for your
complexion。〃
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A Mountain Woman
〃I can take care of my complexion；〃 said Henderson； firmly。
The two looked each other straight in the eye。
〃You don't go on smoking that thing till you have apologized for that
grin you had on your phiz a moment ago。〃
〃I laugh when I please； and I smoke what I please；〃 said Henderson；
hotly； his face flaming as he realized that he was in for his first 〃row。〃
That was how it began。 How it would have ended is not known
probably there would have been only one John if it had not been for the
almost miraculous appear… ance at this moment of the third John。 For just
then the two belligerents found them… selves prostrate； their pistols only
half…cocked； and between them stood a man all gnarled and squat； like one
of those wind…torn oaks which grow on the arid heights。 He was no older
than the others； but the lines in his face were deep； and his large mouth
twitched as he said：
〃Hold on here； yeh fools！ There's too much blood in you to spill。 You'll
spile th' floor； and waste good stuff。 We need blood out here！〃
Gillispie bounced to his feet。 Henderson arose suspiciously； keeping
his eyes on his assailants。
〃Oh； get up！〃 cried the intercessor。 〃We don't shoot men hereabouts till
they git on their feet in fightin' trim。〃
〃What do you know about what we do here？〃 interrupted Gillispie。
〃This is the first time I ever saw you around。〃
〃That's so；〃 the other admitted。 〃I'm just down from Montana。 Came to
take up a quarter section。 Where I come from we give men a show； an' I
thought perhaps yeh did th' same here。〃
〃Why； yes；〃 admitted Gillispie； 〃we do。 But I don't want folks to laugh
too much not when I'm around unless they tell me what the joke is。 I
was just mentioning it to the gentleman；〃 he added； dryly。
〃So I saw；〃 said the other； 〃you're kind a emphatic in yer remarks。 Yeh
ought to give the gentleman a chance to git used to the ways of th' country。
He'll be as tough as th' rest of us if you'll give him a chance。 I kin see it in
him。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Henderson。 〃I'm glad you do me justice。 I wish you
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A Mountain Woman
wouldn't let daylight through me till I've had a chance to get my quarter
section。 I'm going to be one of you； either as a live man or a corpse。 But I
prefer a hundred and sixty acres of land to six feet of it。〃
〃There； now！〃 triumphantly cried the squat man。 〃Didn't I tell yeh？
Give him a show！ 'Tain't no fault of his that he's a tenderfoot。 He'll get
over that。〃
Gillispie shook hands with first one and then the other of the men。 〃It's
a square deal from this on；〃 he said。 〃Come and have a drink。〃
That's how they met John Henderson； John Gillispie； and John Waite。
And a week later they were pu