d shoved viciously against Ten Spot's stomach.

"What have you done with Hollis, you mangy son-of-a-gun?" he demanded.

Several men who had been standing at the bar talking and laughing fell
silent and looked at the two men, the barkeeper sidled closer, crouching
warily, for he knew Norton.

Ten Spot had spread his arms out on the bar and was leaning against it,
looking at Norton in unfeigned bewilderment. He did not speak at once.
Then suddenly aware of the foreboding, savage gleam in Norton's eyes, a
glint of grim humor came into his own and his lips opened a little,
curling sarcastically.

"Why," he said, looking at Norton, "I don't reckon to be anyone's
keeper." He smiled widely, with a suddenly ludicrous expression. "If
you're talkin' about that tenderfoot noospaper guy, he don't need no
keeper. What have I done to him?" he repeated, his smile growing. "Why,
I reckon I didn't do a heap; I went down to call on him. He was right
sociable. I was goin' to be mean to him, but I just couldn't. When he
left he was sayin' that he'd be right glad to see me again--he'd been
right playful durin' my talk with him. I reckon by now he's over at the
Circle Bar laffin' hisself to sleep over the mean way I treated him. You
just ast him when you see him."

A flicker of doubt came into Norton's eyes--Ten Spot's words had the
ring of truth.

"You went down there to shoot him!" he said coldly, still unconvinced.

"Mebbe I did," returned Ten Spot. "Howsomever, I didn't. I ain't tellin'
how I come to change my mind--that's my business, an' you can't shoot it
out of me. But I'm tellin' you this: me an' that guy has agreed to call
it quits, an' if I hear any man talkin' extravagant about him, me an'
that man's goin' to have a run in mighty sudden!" He laughed. "Someone's
been funnin' you," he said. "When he handed me back my gun after
sluggin'----"

But he was now talking to Norton's back, for the range boss was at the
door, striding rapidly toward his pony. He mounted again and rode out on
the trail, proceeding slowly, convinced that something had happened to
Hollis after he had left Dry Bottom. It was more than likely that he had
lost his way in the storm, and in that case he would probably arrive at
the Circle Bar over some round-about trail. He was now certain that he
had not been molested in town; if he had been some of the men in the
Fashion would have told him about it. Hollis would probably be at the
ranch by the time he a