by Frank Norris
XI
SAMMY FINDS A FRIEND
The long train ride and the excitement were over and the outfit,homeward bound, loped along the trail, noisily discussing their excitingand humorous experiences and laughingly commented upon Hopalong'sdecision to follow them later. They could not understand why he shouldbe interested in a town like Sandy Creek after a week spent in the city.
Back in the little cow-town their friend was standing in the office ofthe hotel, gazing abstractedly out of the window. His eyes caught andfocused on a woman who was walking slowly along the other side of thesquare and finally paused before McCall's "Palace," a combinationsaloon, dance and gambling hall. He smiled cynically as his memory ranback over those other women he had seen in cow-towns and wondered how itwas that the men of the ranges could rise to a chivalry that was famed.At that distance she was strikingly pretty. Her complexion was analluring blend of color that the gold of her hair crowned like a burstof sunshine. He noticed that her eyebrows were too prominent, too blackand heavy to be Nature's contribution. And there was about her a certainforwardness, a dash that bespoke no bashful Miss; and her clothes,though well-fitting, somehow did not please his untrained eye. A suddenimpulse seized him and he strode to the door and crossed the dustysquare, avoiding the piles of rusted cans, broken bottles and otherrubbish that littered it.
She had become interested in a dingy window but turned to greet him witha resplendent smile as he stepped to the wooden walk. He noted withdispleasure that the white teeth displayed two shining panels of goldthat drew his eyes irresistibly; and then and there he hated gold teeth.
"Hello," she laughed. "I 'm glad to see somebody that's alive in thistown. Ain't it awful?"
He instinctively removed his sombrero and was conscious that hishabitual bashfulness in the presence of members of her sex was somehowlacking. "Why, I don't see nothin' extra dead about it," he replied."Most of these towns are this way in daylight. Th' moths ain't out yet.You should 'a' been here last night!"
"Yes? But you 're out; an' you look like you might be able to fly," shereplied.
"Yes; I suppose so," he laughed.
"I see you wear _two_ of 'em," she said, glancing at his guns. "Ain'tone of them things enough?"
"One usually is, mostly," he assented. "But I 'm pig-headed, so I wearstwo."
"Ain't it awrful hard to use two of 'em at once?" she asked, her toneflattering. "Then you 're one of them two-gun men I 've heard about,ain't you?"
"An' seen?" he smiled.
"Yes, I 've seen a couple. Where you goin' so early?"
"Just lookin' th' town over," he answered, glancing over her shoulder ata cub of a cowpuncher who had opened the door of the "Retreat," butstopped in his tracks when he saw the couple in front of McCall's.There was a look of surprised interest on the cub's face, and it swiftlychanged to one of envious interest. Hopalong's glance did not linger,but swept carelessly along the row of shacks and back to his companion'sface without betraying his discovery.
"Well; you can look it over in about ten seconds, from th' outside," sherejoined. "An' it's so dusty out here. My throat is awful dryalready."
He had n't noticed any dust in the air, but he nodded. "Yes; thirsty?"
"Well, it ain't polite or ladylike to say yes," she demurred, "but Ireally am."
He held open the door of the "Palace" and preceded her to the dancehall, where she rippled the keys of the old piano as she swept past it.The order given and served, he sipped at his glass and carried on hisshare of a light conversation until, suddenly, he arose and made hisapologies. "I got to attend to something" he regretted as he picked uphis sombrero and turned. "See you later."
"Why!" she exclaimed. "I was just beginnin' to get acquainted!"
"A moth without money ain't no good," he smiled. "I 'm goin' out tofind th' money. When I 'm in good company I like to spend. See youlater?" He bowed as she nodded, and departed.
Emerging from McCall's he glanced at the "Retreat" and sauntered towardit. When he entered he found the cub resting his elbows on the pinebar, arguing with the bartender about the cigars sold in theestablishment. The cub glanced up and appealed to the newcomer. "Ain'tthey?" he demanded.
Hopalong nodded. "I reckon so. But what is it about?"
"These cigars," explained the cub, ruefully. "I was just sayin' thereain't a good one in town."
"You lose," replied Hopalong. "Are you shore you knows a good cigarwhen you smokes it?"
"I know it so well that I ain't found one since I left Kansas City. Yousaid I lose. Do you know one well enough to be a judge?"
Hopalong reached to his vest pocket, extracted a cigar and handed it tothe cub, who took it hesitatingly. "Why, I'm much obliged. I--I didn't mean that--you know."
Hopalong nodded and rearranged the cigar's twin-brothers in his pocket.He would be relieved when they were smoked, for they made him nervouswith their frailty. The cub lighted the cigar and an unaffected grin ofdelight wreathed his features as the smoke issued from his nostrils."Who sells 'em?" he demanded, excitedly.
"Corson an' Lukins, up th' hill from th' depot," answered Hopalong."Like it?"
"Like it! Why, stranger, I used to spend most of my week's pocket moneyfor these." He paused and stared at the smiling puncher. "Did you sayCorson an' Lukins?" he demanded incredulously. "Well, I 'll be hanged!When was you there?"
"Last week. Here, bartender; liquor for all hands."
The cub touched the glass to his lips and waved his hand at a table.Seated across from the stranger with the heaven-sent cigars he orderedthe second round, and when he went to pay for it he drew out a big rollof bills and peeled off the one on the outside.
Hopalong frowned. "Sonny," he said in a low voice, "it ain't none of myaffair, but you oughta put that wad away an' forget you have it when outin public. You shouldn't tempt yore feller men like that."
The cub laughed: "Oh, I had my eye teeth cut long ago. Play a littlegame?"
Hopalong was amused. "Didn't I just tell you not to tempt yore fellermen?"
The cub grinned. "I reckon it 'll fade quick, anyhow; but it took mesix months' hard work to get it together. It 'll last about six days, Isuppose."
"Six hours, if you plays every man that comes along," correctedHopalong.
"Well, mebby," admitted the cub. "Say: that was one fine girl you wastalkin' to, all right," he grinned.
Hopalong studied him a moment. "Not meanin' no offense, what's yorename?"
"Sammy Porter; why?"
"Well, Sammy," remarked Hopalong as he arose. "I reckon we 'll meetagain before I leave. You was remarkin' she was a fine girl. I admitit; she was. So long," and he started for the door.
Sammy flushed. "Why, I--I didn't mean nothin'!" he exclaimed. "I justhappened to think about her--that's all! You know, I saw you talkin' toher. Of course, you saw her first," he explained.
Hopalong turned and smiled kindly. "You didn't say nothin' to offendme. I was just startin' when you spoke. But as long as you mentionedit I 'll say that my interest in th' lady was only brief. Her interestin me was th' same. Beyond lettin' you know that I 'll add that I don'tgenerally discuss wimmin. I 'll see you later," and, nodding cheerily,he went out and closed the door behind him.
Hopalong leaned lazily against the hotel, out of reach of the springwind, which was still sharp, and basked in the warmth of the timid sun.He regarded the little cow-town cynically but smilingly and found noparticular fault with it. Existing because the railroad constructionwork of the season before had chanced to stop on the eastern bank of thedeceptive creek, and because of the nearness of three drive trails, oneof them important, the town had sprung up, mushroom-like, almost in anight. Facing on the square were two general stores, the railroadstation and buildings, two restaurants, a dozen saloons where gamblingeither was the main attraction or an ambitious side-line, McCall's placeand a barber shop with a dingy, bullet-peppere
d red-and-white pole setclose to the door. Between the barber shop and McCall's was a narrowspace, and the windows of the two buildings, while not opposite, openedon the little strip of ground separating them.
Rubbing a hand across his chin he regarded the barber shop thoughtfullyand finally pushed away from the sun-warmed wall of the hotel andstarted lazily toward the red-and-white pole. As he did so thetin-panny notes of a piano redoubled and a woman's voice shrilly aroseto a high note, flatted, broke and swiftly dropped an octave. Hesquirmed and looked speculatively along the westward trail, wonderinghow far away his outfit was and why he had not gone with them. Anothersoaring note that did not flat and a crashing chord from the piano werefollowed by a burst of uproarious, reckless laughter. Hopalong frowned,snapped his fingers in sudden decision and stepped briskly toward thebarber shop as the piano began anew.
Entering quietly and closing the door softly, he glanced appraisinglythrough the windows and made known his wants in a low voice. "I want ashave, haircut, shampoo, an' anythin' else you can think of. I 'm tiredan' don't want to talk. Take yore own time an' do a good job; an' if I'm asleep when yo're through, don't wake me till somebody else wants th'chair. Savvy? All right--start in."
In McCall's a stolid bartender listened to the snatches of conversationthat filtered under the door to the dance hall alongside and on his facethere at times flickered the suggestion of a cynical smile. A heavy,dark complexioned man entered from the street and glanced at the closeddoor of the dance hall. The bartender nodded and held up a stayinghand, after which he shoved a drink across the bar. The heavy-set mancarefully wiped a few drops of spilled liquor from his white, taperinghands and seated himself with a sigh of relief, and became busy with histhoughts until the time should come when he would be needed.
On the other side of that door a little comedy was being enacted. Themusician, a woman, toyed with the keys of the warped and scratchedpiano, the dim light from the shaded windows mercifully hiding the paintand the hardness of her face and helping the jewelry, with which herhands were covered, keep its tawdry secret.
"I don't see what makes you so touchy," grumbled Sammy in a pout. "Iain't goin' to hurt you if I touch yore arm." He was flushed and therewas a suspicious unsteadiness in his voice.
She laughed. "Why, I thought you wanted to talk?"
"I did," he admitted, sullenly; "but there's a limit to most wants. Oh,well: go ahead an' play. That last piece was all right; but give us agallop or a mazurka--anything lively. Better yet, a caprice: it's inkeepin' with yore temperament. If you was to try to interpert mine you'd have to dig it out of Verdi an' toll a funeral bell."
"Say; who told you so much about music?" she demanded.
"Th' man that makes harmonicas," he grinned. He arose and took a steptoward her, but she retreated swiftly, smiling. "Now behave yourself,for a little while, at least. What's th' matter with you, anyhow? Whatmakes you so silly?"
"You, of course. I don't see no purty wimmin out on th' range, an' youwent to my head th' minute I laid eyes on you. _I_ ain't in no hurry toleave this town, now nohow."
"I 'm afraid you 're going to be awful when you grow up. But you 're anice boy to say such pretty things. Here," she said, filling his glassand handing it to him, "let's drink another toast--you know such niceones."
"Yes; an' if I don't run out of 'em purty soon I 'll have to hunt asolid, immovable corner somewheres; an' there ain't nothin' solid orimmovable about _this_ room at present," he growled. "What you allusdrinkin' to somethin' for? Well, here's a toast--I don't know any morefancy ones. Here's to--_you_!"
"That's nicer than--oh, pshaw!" she exclaimed, pouting. "An' you wouldn't drink a full glass to _that_ one. You must think I 'm nice, whenyou renig like that! Don't tell me any more pretty things--an' stopright where you are! Think you can hang onto me after that? Well,that's better; why didn't you do it th' first time? You can be a niceboy when you want to."
He flushed angrily. "Will you stop callin' me a boy?" he demandedunsteadily. "I ain't no kid! I do a man's work, earn a man's pay, an'I spend it like a man."
"An' drink a boy's drink," she teased. "You 'll grow up some day." Shereached forward and filled his glass again, for an instant letting hercheek touch his. Swiftly evading him she laughed and patted him on thehead. "Here, _man_," she taunted, "drink this if you dare!"
He frowned at her but gulped down the liquor. "There, like a fool!" hegrumbled, bitterly. "You tryin' to get me drunk?" he demanded suddenlyin a heavy voice.
She threw back her head and regarded him coldly. "It will do me nogood. Why should I? I merely wanted to see if you would take a dare, ifyou were a man. You are either not sober now, or you are insultinglyimpolite. I don't care to waste any more words or time with you," andshe turned haughtily toward the door.
He had leaned against the piano, but now he lurched forward and criedout. "I 'm sorry if I hurt yore feelin's that way--I shore didn't meanto. Ain't we goin' to make up?" he asked, anxiously.
"Do you mean that?" she demanded, pausing and looking around.
"You know I do, Annie. Le's make up--come on; le's make up."
"Well; I'll try you, an' see."
"Play some more. You play beautiful," he assured her with heavygravity.
"I'm tired of--but, say: Can you play poker?" she asked, eagerly.
"Why, shore; who can't?"
"Well, I can't, for one. I want to learn, so I can win my money backfrom Jim. He taught me, but all I had time to learn was how to lose."
Sammy regarded her in puzzled surprise and gradually the idea becameplain. "Did he teach you, an' win money from you? Did he keep it?" hefinally blurted, his face flushed a deeper red from anger.
She nodded. "Why, yes; why?"
He looked around for his sombrero, muttering savagely.
"Where you goin'?" she asked in surprise.
"To get it back. He ain't goin' to keep it, th' coyote!"
"Why, he won't give it back to you if he would n't to me. Anyhow, hewon it."
"_Won_ it!" he snapped. "He stole it, that's how much he won it. He'll give it back or get shot."
"Now look here," she said, quickly. "You ain't goin' gunnin' for nofriend of mine. If you want to get that money for me, an' I certainlycan use it about now, you got to try some other way. Say! Why don'tyou win it from him?" she exulted. "That's th' way--get it back th' wayit went."
He weighed her words and a grin slowly crept across his face. "Why, Ireckon you called it, that time, Annie. That's th' way I 'll try first,anyhow, Li'l Girl. Where is this good friend of yourn that steals yoremoney? Where is this feller?"
As if in answer to his inquiry the heavy-set man strolled in, hummingcheerily. And as he did so the sleepy occupant of the barber's chairslowly awoke, rubbed his eyes, stretched luxuriously and, paying hisbill, loafed out and lazily sauntered down the street, swearing softly.
"Why, here he is now," laughed the woman. "You must 'a' heard us talkin'about you, Jim. I'm goin' to get my money back--this is Mr. Porter, Jim,who 's goin' to do it."
The gambler smiled and held out his hand. "Howd'y, Mr. Porter," he said.
Sammy glared at him: "Put yore paw down," he said, thickly. "I ain'tshakin' han's with no dogs or tin-horns."
The gambler recoiled and flushed, fighting hard to repress his anger."What you mean?" he growled, furiously.
"What I said. If you want revenge sit down there an' play, if you 'vegot th' nerve to play with a man. I never let no coyote steal a woman'smoney, an' I 'm goin' to get Annie her twenty. Savvy?"
The gambler's reply was a snarl. "Play!" he sneered. "I'll play, allright. It'll take more 'n a sassy kid to get that money back, too. I 'mgoin' to take yore last red cent. You can't talk to me like that an'get it over. An' don't let me hear you call her 'Annie' no more,neither. Yo 're too cussed familiar!"
Her hand on Sammy's arm stopped the draw and he let the gun drop backinto the holster. "_No!_" she whispered
. "Make a fool of him, Sammy!Beat him at his own game."
Sammy nodded and scowled blackly. "I call th' names as suits me," heretorted. "When I see you on th' street I 'm goin' to call you somethat I 'm savin' up now because a lady 's present. They 're hefty, too."
At first he won, but always small amounts. Becoming reckless, he plungedheavily on a fair hand and lost. He plunged again on a better hand andlost. Then he steadied as much as his befuddled brain would permit andplayed a careful game, winning a small pot. Another small winningdestroyed his caution and he plunged again, losing heavily. Steadyinghimself once more he began a new deal with excess caution and wasbluffed out of the pot, the gambler sneeringly showing his cards as hethrew them down. Sammy glanced around to say something to the woman,but found she had gone. "Aw, never mind her!" growled his opponent."She 'll be back--she can't stay away from a kid like you."
The woman was passing through the barroom and, winking at the bartender,opened the door and stepped to the street. She smiled as she caughtsight of the limping stranger coming toward her. He might have foundmoney, but she was certain he had found something else and in generousquantities. He removed his sombrero with an exaggerated sweep of hishand and hastened to meet her, walking with the conscious erectness of aman whose feet are the last part of him to succumb. "Hullo, Sugar," hegrinned. "I found some, a'right. Now we 'll have some music. Comelong."
"There ain't no hurry," she answered. "We 'll take a little walkfirst."
"No, we won't. We 'll have some music an' somethin' to drink. If youwon't make th' music, I will; or shoot up th' machine. Come 'long,Sugar," he leered, pushing open the door with a resounding slam. Henodded to the bartender and apologized. "No harm meant, Friend. Itsorta slipped; jus' slipped, tha's all. Th' young lady an' me is goin'to have some music. What? All right for you, Sugar! Then I'll make itmyself," and he paraded stiffly toward the inner door.
The bartender leaned suddenly forward. "Keep out of there! You 'll bustthat pianner!"
The puncher stopped with a jerk, swung ponderously on his heel andleveled a forefinger at the dispenser of drinks. "I won't," he said."An' if I do, I 'll pay for it. Come on, Sugar--le's play th' oldthing, jus' for spite." Grasping her arm he gently but firmly escortedher into the dance hall and seated her at the piano. As he straightenedup he noticed the card players and, bowing low to her, turned andaddressed them.
"Gents," he announced, bowing again, "we are goin' to have a li'l musican' we hopes you won't objec'. Not that we gives a d--n, but we jus'hopes you won't." He laughed loudly at his joke and leaned against thepiano. "Let 'er go," he cried, beating time. "Allaman lef an' ladieschange! Swing yore partner's gal--I mean, swing some other gal: butwhat's th' difference? All join han's an' hop to th' middle--nope! It'sall han's roun' an' swing 'em again. But it don't make no difference,does it, Lulu?" He whooped loudly and marched across the room, executeda few fancy steps and marched back again. As he passed the card tableSammy threw down his hand and arose with a curse. The marcher stopped,fiddled a bit with his feet until obtaining his balance, and thenregarded the youth quizzically. "S'matter, Sonny?" he inquired.
Sammy scowled, slowly recognized the owner of the imported cigars andshook his head. "Big han's, but not big enough; an' I lost my pile."Staggering to the piano he plumped down on a chair near it and watchedthe rippling fingers of the player in drunken interest.
The hilarious cowpuncher, leaning backward perilously, recovered hispoise for a moment and then lurched forward into the chair the youth hadjust left. "Come on, pardner," he grinned across at the gambler. "Le'sgamble. I been honin' for a game, an' here she is." He picked up thecards, shuffled them clumsily and pushed them out for the cut. Thegambler hesitated, considered and then turned over a jack. He lost thedeal and shoved out a quarter without interest.
The puncher leaned over, looked at it closely and grinned. "Two bits?That ain't poker; that's--that's dominoes!" he blurted, angrily, withthe quick change of mood of a man in his cups.
"I ain't anxious to play," replied the gambler. "I 'll kill a li'l timeat a two-bit game, though. Otherwise I 'll quit."
"A'right," replied the dealer. "I did n't expec' nothin' else from atin-horn, no-how. I want two cards after you get yourn." The gamblercalled on the second raise and smiled to himself when he saw that hisopponent had drawn to a pair and an ace. He won on his own deal and onthe one following.
The puncher increased the ante on the fourth deal and looked upinquiringly, a grin on his face. "Le's move out th' infant class," hesuggested.
The gambler regarded him sharply. "Well, th' other _was_ sorta tender,"he admitted, nodding.
The puncher pulled out a handful of gold coins and clumsily tried tostalk them, which he succeeded in doing after three attempts. He was sobusy that he did not notice the look in the other's eyes. Picking uphis hand he winked at it and discarded one. "Goin' to raise th' ante afew," he chuckled. "I got a feelin' I 'm goin' t' be lucky." When thecard was dealt to him he let it lay and bet heavily. The gambler saw itand raised in turn, and the puncher, frowning in indecision, nodded hishead wisely and met it, calling as he did so. His four fives were justtwo spots shy to win and he grumbled loudly at his luck. "Huh," hefinished, "she 's a jack pot, eh?" He slid a double eagle out to thecenter of the table and laughed recklessly. The deals went aroundrapidly, each one calling for a ten-dollar sweetener and when theseventh hand was dealt the puncher picked his cards and laughed. "She 'sopen," he cried, "for fifty," and shoved out the money with one handwhile he dug up a reserve pile from his pocket with the other.
The gambler saw the opener and raised it fifty, smiling at hisopponent's expression. The puncher grunted his surprise, studied hishand, glanced at the pot and shrugging his shoulders, saw the raise. Hedrew two cards and chuckled as he slid them into his hand; but beforethe dealer could make his own draw the puncher's chuckle died out and hestared over the gambler's shoulder. With an oath he jerked out his gunand fired. The gambler leaped to his feet and whirled around to lookbehind. Then he angrily faced the frowning puncher. "What you think yo're doin'?" he demanded, his hand resting inside his coat, the thumbhooked over the edge of the vest.
The puncher waved his hand apologetically. "I never have no luck when Isees a cat," he explained. "A black cat is worse; but a yaller one'sbad enough. I 'll bet that yaller devil won't come back in ahurry--judgin' by th' way it started. I won't miss him, if he does."
The gambler, still frowning, glanced at the deck suspiciously and sawthat it lay as he had dropped it. The bartender, grinning at them fromthe door, cracked a joke and went back to the bar. Sammy, after a wildlook around, settled back in his chair and soothed the pianist a littlebefore going back to sleep.
Drawing two cards the gambler shoved them in his hand without a changein his expression--but he was greatly puzzled. It was seldom that hebungled and he was not certain that he had. The discard contained theright number of cards and his opponent's face gave no hint to thethoughts behind it. He hesitated before he saw the bet--ten dollars wasnot much, for the size of the pot justified more. He slowly saw it,willing to lose the ten in order to see his opponent's cards. There wassomething he wished to know, and he wanted to know it as soon as hecould. "I call that," he said. The puncher's expression of tensenessrelaxed into one of great relief and he hurriedly dropped his cards.Three kings, an eight, and a deuce was his offering. The gambler laiddown a pair of queens, a ten, an eight and a four, waved his hand andsmiled. "It's just as well I did n't draw another queen," he observed,calmly. "I might 'a' raised once for luck."
The puncher raked in the pot and turned around in his chair. "I cleanedup that time," he exulted to the woman. She had stopped playing and wasstroking Sammy's forehead. Smiling at the exuberant winner she nodded."You should have let the cat stay--I think it really brought you luck."He shook his head emphatically. "_No_, ma'am! It was chasin' it awayas did that. That's what did it, a'right."
The next few deals did not amount to much. Then a jackpot came aroundand was pushed hard. The puncher was dealing and as he picked up thedeck after the cut he grinned and winked. "Th' skirmishin' now bein'over, th' battle begins. If that cat stays away long enough mebby I 'llmake a killin'."
"All right; but don't make no more gun-plays," warned the gambler,coldly. "I allus get excited when I smells gun-powder an' I do recklessthings sometimes," he added, significantly.
"Then I shore hopes you keep ca'm," laughed the puncher, loud enough tobe heard over the noise of the piano, which was now going again.
The pot was sweetened three times and then the gambler dealt hisopponent openers. The puncher looked anxiously through the door,grinning coltishly. He slowly pushed out twenty dollars. "There's th'key," he grunted. "A'right; see that an' raise you back. Good for you!I'm stayin' an' boostin' same as ever. Fine! See it again, an' addthis. I 'm playin' with yore money, so I c'n afford to be reckless. Allright; I'm satisfied, too. Gimme one li'l card. I shore am glad Idon't need th' king of hearts--that was shore on th' bottom when th'deal _begun_."
The gambler, having drawn, cursed and reached swiftly toward his vestpocket; but he stopped suddenly and contemplated the Colt that peekedover the edge of the table. It looked squarely at his short ribs andwas backed by a sober, angry man who gazed steadily into his eyes."Drop that hand," said the puncher in a whisper just loud enough to beheard by the other over the noise of the piano. "I never did like themshoulder holsters--I carry my irons where everybody can see 'em."Leaning forward swiftly he reached out his left hand and cautiouslyturned over the other's cards. The fourth one was the king of hearts."Don't move," he whispered, not wishing to have the bartender take ahand from behind. "An' don't talk," he warned as he leaned fartherforward and shoved his Colt against the other's vest and with his lefthand extracted a short-barreled gun from the sheath under the gambler'sarmpit. Sinking back in his chair he listened a moment and, raking inthe pot, stowed it away with the other winnings in his pockets.
The gambler stirred, but stopped as the Colt leaped like a flash oflight to the edge of the table. "Tin-horn," said the puncher, softly,"you ain't slick enough. I did n't stop you when you wanted that queenan' ten because I wanted you to go on with th' crookedness. Yaller catsis more unlucky to you than they are to me. But when I saw that lastplay I lost my temper; an' I stopped you. Now if you 'll cheat with me,you 'll cheat with a drunk boy. So, havin' cheated him, you reallystole his money away from him. That bein' so, you will dig up sixmonth's wages at about fifty per month. I 'd shoot you just as quick asI 'd shoot a snake; so don't get no fool notions in yore head. Dig itright up."
The gambler studied the man across from him, but after a moment hesilently placed some money on the table. "It was only two forty," heobserved, holding to three double eagles. The puncher nodded: "I 'lltake yore word for that. Now, in th' beginnin' I only wanted to get th'boy his money; but when you started cheatin' against me I changed mymind. I played fair. Now here's your short-five," he said as he slidthe gun across the table. "Mebby you might want to use it sometime," hesmiled. "Now you vamoose; an' if I see you in town after th' next trainleaves, I 'll _make_ you use that shoulder holster. An' tell yorefriends that Hopalong Cassidy says, that for a country where men cantote their hardware in plain sight, a shoulder layout ain't no good: yougotta reach too high. Adios."
He watched the silent, philosophical man-of-cards walk slowly toward thedoor, upright, dignified and calm. Then he turned and approached thepiano. "Sister," he said, politely, "yore gamblin' friend is leavin'town on th' next train. He has pressin' business back east a couple ofstations an' wonders if you 'll join him at th' depot in time for th'next train."
She had stopped playing and was staring at him in amazement. "Whydidn't he come an' tell me himself, 'stead of sneakin' away an' sendin'you over?" she at last demanded, angrily.
"Well, he wanted to, but he saw a man an' slipped out with his gun inhis hand. Mebby there'll be trouble; but I dunno. I'm just tellin'you. Gee," he laughed, looking at the snoring youth in the chair, "hegot _that_ quick. Why, I saw him less 'n two hours ago an' he was soberas a judge. Reckon I 'll take him over to th' hotel an' put him tobed." He went over to the helpless Sammy, shook him and made him get onhis feet. "Come along, Kid," he said, slipping his arm under thesagging shoulder. "We'll get along. Good-by, Sugar," and, supportingthe feebly protesting cub, he slowly made his way to the rear door andwas gone, a grin wreathing his face as he heard the chink of gold coinsin his several pockets.