“Guess the Governor's considerable skeert.”

“You bet, he's mad.”

My sitting down to breakfast at the same small table seemed to end the talk; but I had. not been out West for nothing, so explaining that I was only four hours in Virginia City, I inquired what had occurred to fill the Governor of Nevada with vexation and alarm.

“D'you tell now! only four hours in this great young city. Wall, guess it's a bully business. You see, some time back the Governor pardoned a road agent after the citizens had voted him a rope. Yes, sir! But that ain't all: yesterday, cuss me if he didn't refuse ter pardon one of the boys who had jess shot another in play like. Guess he thinks hisself some pumpkins.” I duly expressed my horror, and my informant went on: “Wall, guess the citizens paid him off purty slick. They jess sent him a short thick bit of rope with a label ‘For his Excellency.’ You bet ef he ain't mad—you bet! Pass us those molasses, mister.”