Hugh Pendexter

“ Peace, angrily, and tapping the table with his gun.
"I be," cried the Sheriff, warmly. "An' it speaks well fer ye, Jem, t' have these soft feelin's. I'll be hanged if ye ain't almost human. Come right back t' th' younker's room, an' in ye go, an' out he comes. Ye kin trust me t' keep my word, I reckon."
"I never asked or give much credit," demurred Mr. Peace. "Besides, there's a leetle more t' th' game. Th' next p'int is this: on th' nine o'clock stage ter-morrer, Kate Connolly arrives t' visit her son an' t' take him back home with her. Her dude husband is dead an' she's lonely. ”

“ Else th' Sheriff will have t' swear him in as a deputy. Sheriff's deputy got plugged through th' arm las' week, ye know."
"Ya-as; I shall have t' swear in every able-bodied man," affirmed the Sheriff.
"O Fred, let us go by all means, then," she cried, shivering with fear for her son. "But our dinner, Sheriff; isn't my old friend, Jem, to be one of us?" ”

“ Not that she's likely t' go in there, but I'm keen t' have th' whole town play my game fer a few hours. Ye see," and he smiled, whimsically, "I'm jumpin' back forty years t' pick up th' good name I had when a kid an' when she was Kate Connolly."
Then as they walked to the door, still eying each other warily, Mr. Peace suddenly reminded: "An' ter-morrer's Thanksgivin' Day. Wa-al, I don't know whether I oughter be thankful fer seein' her once more, or not."
The adult male population of the settlement, almost to a man, was gathered in Big Mike's place, busy in pledging many healths. ”

“ Fer one day I'm a highly respected citizen o' this settlement. Remember, ye all admire me as a soft-hearted, gentled-mannered ol' cuss, halter broke an' kind t' children. When th' stage comes in a ol' lady will git out. She will be here a few hours an' I should be desperate sorry t' hear any careless word dropped that might lead her t' believe I ain't peaceful by natur' as well as by name. I hope I won't have t' correct anybody, as she ain't use t' gun play. Th' Sheriff is backin' my game till arter th' last stage goes. ”

“ Ye fetched him in slylike, so's there 'u'd be no premachoor hangin'."
"Ye're gittin' t' be a truthful man in yer ol' age," admired the Sheriff. "Yep; he's th' man that shot my deputy through th' arm. ”

“ I want him free from sunup ter-morrer, t' meet his ma an' spend th' day with her. I want her t' find him a highly respected citizen. What more, she must find me a highly respected citizen. He'll take her away on th' afternoon stage; then ye kin have my gun. ”