A Temporary Truce

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Mexican Jim, a good-for-nothing of the mining camp, spends most of his time in the tavern of the little town. On this particular day, having drunk up more than usual, he quarrels with Jack Hardy, a young prospector. Jack, under other circumstances, would have disdainfully ignored Jim's drunken garble, but he felt in none too good a humor, for things were not prospering with him, and his young wife was growing homesick for the east. Hence Jack's temper was on tap and he made Jim the laughing-stock of the town by giving him a walloping. Jim vows to get even: but how? He carries off Jack's wife and leaves a derisive note for Jack, and another at the saloon, to the effect that the joke is turned. Jim has forcibly taken Jack's wife as far as an old deserted well-box in the hills, when Jack, who started after them, comes up and opens fire. Jim has the advantage for he is sheltered by the well-box, and furthermore. Jack is careful for fear of hitting his wife. This warfare does not last long because of an outbreak among the young Indian braves, who have started out to avenge the death of one of their tribe at the hands of a party of drunken cutthroats, so Jack and Jim form a truce to fight the common enemy.