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Page 28
"Don't spile the weddin'," he pleaded. "This event has already
rounded up the Sweetwater outfit fer yuh, an' saved yuh more time
than you'll lose by waitin' till it's over. Then we'll all jine
yuh."
Hoover commanded silence, and, rolling a cigarette, gravely
considered the proposition. He realized that the murderers
should be followed up at once, but that if he forced the cowboys
by the legal power exercised to forego the pleasure they had been
anticipating so greatly, they would not be so keen in pursuit as
if they had first "given the boss his send-off." The
considerations being equal, or, as he put it, "hoss an' hoss," it
seemed to him wise to submit to Allen's proposition, backed as it
was by the justice of his plan that the occasion of the wedding
had already saved valuable time in assembling the posse. He
assented, therefore, but, to maintain the dignity of his office
and control of the situation, with apparent reluctance.
"Well, hurry up the sacreements an' ceremonies, then, an' the
minute the preacher ties the knot, every man uv yuh but Jack an'
the parson an' Uncle Jim gits on his boss an' folluhs me. I'll
wait out in the corral."
At this there was another storm of expostulation, led this time
by Allen. Of course Hoover was to come to the wedding, and be
its guest of honor. "You shall be the first to wish Jack and
Echo lucky," said Allen. "That means you'll be the next one to
marry."
The ruddy-faced Sheriff blushed to the roots of his auburn hair.
"Much obliged, but I ain't fixed up fer a weddin'," and he looked
down at his travel-stained breeches tucked in riding-boots white
with alkali-dust, and felt of his buttonless waistcoat and
gingham shirt open at the throat, with the bandanna handkerchief
his neck in lieu of both collar and tie.
Polly assured him that he would do very well as he was, that for
her part she "wouldn't want no better-dressed man than he to be
present at her wedding, not even the feller she was goin' to be
hitched up to;" whereat Slim Hoover was greatly set at ease.
Polly was bounding up the piazza steps to tell Echo of the
accession to her party, when Hoover held up his hand. A
terrifying suggestion had flashed through his mind.
"Hold on a minute!" he exclaimed, and, turning to Allen, he asked
anxiously: "Does this yere guest of honor haf to kiss the
bride?"
The question was so foreign to the serious topic which had just
been under discussion that everyone laughed in relief of the
nervous tension.
Allen's fun-loving nature at once bubbled to the surface. With
an air of assumed anger he said to the Sheriff: "Of course;
every guest has to do it." Then, turning to the cowboys, he
asked: "Is there any one as holds out strong objection to
kissin' my daughter?"
"Not me," laughed Sage-brush, "I'm here to go the limit."
"I'm an experienced kisser, I am," said Parenthesis, "I don't
lose no chance at practise."
"I'll take two, please," simpered Fresno.
Show Low interrupted the general sally which followed this
remark, saying: "I strings my chips along with Fresno."
"Slim's afraid of females!" drawled Polly provokingly.
"Oh, thunder!" exclaimed Slim to Polly. "No, I ain't, nothin' of
the sort. I'm a peaceful man, I am. I never likes to start no
trouble."
"Get out, what's one kiss?" laughed Allen.
"I've seen a big jack-pot of trouble opened by chippin' in just
one kiss," wisely remarked the Sheriff.
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