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representative citizen。 He had 〃killed his man〃not in his own quarrel；
it is true； but in defence of a stranger unfairly beset by numbers。
He had kept a sumptuous saloon。 He had been the proprietor of a dashing
helpmeet whom he could have discarded without the formality of a divorce。
He had held a high position in the fire department and been a very
Warwick in politics。 When he died there was great lamentation throughout
the town； but especially in the vast bottom…stratum of society。
On the inquest it was shown that Buck Fanshaw； in the delirium of a
wasting typhoid fever； had taken arsenic； shot himself through the body；
cut his throat； and jumped out of a four…story window and broken his
neckand after due deliberation； the jury； sad and tearful； but with
intelligence unblinded by its sorrow； brought in a verdict of death 〃by
the visitation of God。〃 What could the world do without juries？
Prodigious preparations were made for the funeral。 All the vehicles in
town were hired； all the saloons put in mourning； all the municipal and
fire…company flags hung at half…mast； and all the firemen ordered to
muster in uniform and bring their machines duly draped in black。 Now
let us remark in parenthesisas all the peoples of the earth had
representative adventurers in the Silverland； and as each adventurer had
brought the slang of his nation or his locality with him； the combination
made the slang of Nevada the richest and the most infinitely varied and
copious that had ever existed anywhere in the world； perhaps； except in
the mines of California in the 〃early days。〃 Slang was the language of
Nevada。 It was hard to preach a sermon without it； and be understood。
Such phrases as 〃You bet！〃 〃Oh； no； I reckon not！〃 〃No Irish need
apply；〃 and a hundred others； became so common as to fall from the lips
of a speaker unconsciouslyand very often when they did not touch the
subject under discussion and consequently failed to mean anything。
After Buck Fanshaw's inquest； a meeting of the short…haired brotherhood
was held； for nothing can be done on the Pacific coast without a public
meeting and an expression of sentiment。 Regretful resolutions were
passed and various committees appointed； among others； a committee of one
was deputed to call on the minister； a fragile； gentle； spiritual new
fledgling from an Eastern theological seminary； and as yet unacquainted
with the ways of the mines。 The committeeman； 〃Scotty〃 Briggs； made his
visit； and in after days it was worth something to hear the minister tell
about it。 Scotty was a stalwart rough； whose customary suit； when on
weighty official business； like committee work； was a fire helmet；
flaming red flannel shirt； patent leather belt with spanner and revolver
attached； coat hung over arm； and pants stuffed into boot tops。
He formed something of a contrast to the pale theological student。 It is
fair to say of Scotty； however； in passing； that he had a warm heart； and
a strong love for his friends； and never entered into a quarrel when he
could reasonably keep out of it。 Indeed； it was commonly said that
whenever one of Scotty's fights was investigated； it always turned out
that it had originally been no affair of his； but that out of native
good…heartedness he had dropped in of his own accord to help the man who
was getting the worst of it。 He and Buck Fanshaw were bosom friends； for
years； and had often taken adventurous 〃pot…luck〃 together。 On one
occasion； they had thrown off their coats and taken the weaker side in a
fight among strangers； and after gaining a hard…earned victory； turned
and found that the men they were helping had deserted early； and not only
that； but had stolen their coats and made off with them！ But to return
to Scotty's visit to the minister。 He was on a sorrowful mission； now；
and his face was the picture of woe。 Being admitted to the presence he
sat down before the clergyman； placed his fire…hat on an unfinished
manuscript sermon under the minister's nose； took from it a red silk
handkerchief； wiped his brow and heaved a sigh of dismal impressiveness；
explanatory of his business。
He choked； and even shed tears； but with an effort he mastered his voice
and said in lugubrious tones：
〃Are you the duck that runs the gospel…mill next door？〃
〃Am I thepardon me； I believe I do not understand？〃
With another sigh and a half…sob； Scotty rejoined：
〃Why you see we are in a bit of trouble； and the boys thought maybe you
would give us a lift； if we'd tackle youthat is； if I've got the rights
of it and you are the head clerk of the doxology…works next door。〃
〃I am the shepherd in charge of the flock whose fold is next door。〃
〃The which？〃
〃The spiritual adviser of the little company of believers whose sanctuary
adjoins these premises。〃
Scotty scratched his head； reflected a moment； and then said：
〃You ruther hold over me； pard。 I reckon I can't call that hand。 Ante
and pass the buck。〃
〃How？ I beg pardon。 What did I understand you to say？〃
〃Well； you've ruther got the bulge on me。 Or maybe we've both got the
bulge； somehow。 You don't smoke me and I don't smoke you。 You see； one
of the boys has passed in his checks and we want to give him a good send…
off； and so the thing I'm on now is to roust out somebody to jerk a
little chin…music for us and waltz him through handsome。〃
〃My friend； I seem to grow more and more bewildered。 Your observations
are wholly incomprehensible to me。 Cannot you simplify them in some way？
At first I thought perhaps I understood you； but I grope now。 Would it
not expedite matters if you restricted yourself to categorical statements
of fact unencumbered with obstructing accumulations of metaphor and
allegory？〃
Another pause； and more reflection。 Then； said Scotty：
〃I'll have to pass； I judge。〃
〃How？〃
〃You've raised me out； pard。〃
〃I still fail to catch your meaning。〃
〃Why； that last lead of yourn is too many for methat's the idea。 I
can't neither…trump nor follow suit。〃
The clergyman sank back in his chair perplexed。 Scotty leaned his head
on his hand and gave himself up to thought。
Presently his face came up； sorrowful but confident。
〃I've got it now； so's you can savvy；〃 he said。 〃What we want is a
gospel…sharp。 See？〃
〃A what？〃
〃Gospel…sharp。 Parson。〃
〃Oh！ Why did you not say so before？ I am a clergymana parson。〃
〃Now you talk！ You see my blind and straddle it like a man。 Put it
there！〃extending a brawny paw； which closed over the minister's small
hand and gave it a shake indicative of fraternal sympathy and fervent
gratification。
〃Now we're all right； pard。 Let's start fresh。 Don't you mind my
snuffling a littlebecuz we're in a power of trouble。 You see； one of
the boys has gone up the flume〃
〃Gone where？〃
〃Up the flumethrowed up the sponge； you understand。〃
〃Thrown up the sponge？〃
〃Yeskicked the bucket〃
〃Ahhas departed to that mysterious country from whose bourne no
traveler returns。〃
〃Return！ I reckon not。 Why pard； he's dead！〃
〃Yes； I understand。〃
〃Oh； you do？ Well I thought maybe you might be getting tangled some
more。 Yes； you see he's dead again〃
〃Again？ Why； has he ever been dead before？〃
〃Dead before？ No！ Do you reckon a man has got as many lives as a cat？
But you bet you he's awful dead now； poor old boy； and I wish I'd never
seen this day。 I don't want no better friend than Buck Fanshaw。
I knowed him by the back； and when I know a man and like him； I freeze to
himyou hear me。 Take him all round； pard； there never was a bullier
man in the mines。 No man ever knowed Buck Fanshaw to go back on a
friend。 But it's all up； you know； it's all up。 It ain't no use。
They've scooped him。〃
〃Scooped him？〃
〃Yesdeath has。 Well； well； well； we've got to give him up。 Yes
indeed。 It's a kind of a hard world； after all； ain't it？ But pard； he
was a rustler！ You ought to seen him get started once。 He was a bully
boy with a glass eye！ Just spit in his face and give him room according
to his strength； and it was just beautiful to see him peel and go in。
He was the worst son of a thief that ever drawed breath。