by Andre Norton
His face patched up after a fashion, Drew lay full length on the hay inhis old place over Shadow's stall back at Kells' stable. Anse satcrosslegged beside him, the bruise now a black shadow on his jaw.
"Somethin' 'bout this show's bad, plain as a black saddle on a white hoss.Nobody could be fannin' a six-gun for you personal, Drew, 'less you had arun-in before with one of them Blue Bellies." The Texan paused and Drewshook his head, wincing at the pain from his numerous cuts and bruises.
Anse went on. "Some hombres are always on th' peck once they get likkeredup, but them troopers weren't that deep. Looks to me now, thinkin' itover, they was out to make sod fly. Could be as they had trouble with someother riders an' we was handy an' looked peaceable enough to take easy.But I dunno. You know, a fella who's scouted an' hunted Injuns an' poppedbush cattle, to say nothin' of toppin' wild ones what can look like a nicequiet little pony one minute an' have a belly full of bedsprings an' a skytouchin' back th' next--a fella who's had him all that kinda experience an'a saddlebag full of surprises in his time gits so he can smell a stormcomin' 'fore th' first cloud shows. If we had the sense we shoulda beenborn with, we'd ride hell-to-thunder outta here now!"
"Anse"--Drew wriggled up on one elbow--"you do that. I ain't going to pullyou into anything--"
"So," the Texan said, nodding, "you've been swallowin' down a whim-wham ortwo your ownself?"
"Yes, but every one of them could be only a shadow to scare a jackrabbit."
"Only you plan to go out an' spit in th' shadow's eye?"
"Guess so."
"Then there'll be two of us. Providin' Rennie can use him 'nother hand.You know, this might be interestin'. 'Member what they used to say in thearmy? Don't go borrowin' trouble nor try to cross a river till you git th'water lappin' at your boots."