"Well--I declare," she said indignantly, "so THAT'S what kept you!" "No," he said quickly; "there's been awful times over in 'Frisco! Everybody just wild, and the Vigilance Committee in session.

Jo Henderson's killed! Shot by Wynyard Marion in a duel! He'll be lynched, sure as a gun, if they ketch him." "But I thought men who fought duels always went free." "Yes, but this ain't no common duel; they say the whole thing was planned beforehand by them Southern fire-eaters to get rid o' Henderson because he's a Northern man and anti-slavery, and that they picked out Colonel Marion to do it because he was a dead shot.

They got him to insult Henderson, so he was bound to challenge Marion, and that giv' Marion the chyce of weppings.

It was a reg'lar put up job to kill him." "And what's all this to do with you ?" she asked, with irritation.
"Hold on, won't you! and I'll tell you.

I was pickin' up nets off Saucelito about noon, when I was hailed by one of them Vigilance tugs, and they set me to stand off and on the shore and watch that Marion didn't get away, while they were scoutin' inland.