As Pogue straightened up, he wiped the tears from his eyes, and said: "Bill, I always did have a good time when I was with you."

The groom was a bit nervous, and the boys would urge him to "take a bracer and buck up. It ain't as bad as it seems," and otherwise "jolly" him. Boots usually was a very brave man, but the boys' tormenting got on his nerves, and he wept during the ceremony, which filled the boys with glee.

After a while someone missed Kelly and Al Stringfellow. They went outside and found

these two worthies playing "andy over" the haystack with their six shooters. This was the regular pastime for these two after that, whenever they met, and were in the proper frame of mind.

The dance continued until morning, and when some of them were departing, one made a misstep as he meant to swing into the saddle. The horse swung away, and there he was with one foot fastened in the stirrup. The wild bronc made a quick swerve, and the man swung out clear of him and the ground while it ran in a short circle. The quick wit of some other cowboy, and his skill, saved the man. He dropped a rope over the animal's head, and brought it up, head end to the man on the ground.

"Swing your pardners," shouted that worthy, as he jumped to his feet. The near tragedies of old times were so lightly held and affairs that ended well were experiences worth while, and compensated fully for the danger involved.