wus down ther' blazin' drunk an'
shootin' up the town. Say, I felt kind o' hot at that. Yup, pretty
sulphury an' hot, an' I went right out, quiet like, and fetched the
boys. Them as had said their prayers wus the first to join me. Wal, we
went along an' did things with that.--Ah, guess Jake's comin' this
way; likely he wants somethin'."

Arizona turned abruptly to his saddle again, while all eyes looked
over at the approaching foreman. Jake strode up. Arizona took no
notice of him. It was his way of showing his dislike for the man. Jake
permitted one glance--nor was it a friendly one--in his direction,
then he went straight over to where Tresler was sitting.

"Get that mare of yours saddled, Tresler," he said, "and ride into
Forks. You'll fetch out that skulkin' coyote, Joe Nelson. You'll fetch
him out, savee? Maybe he's at the saloon--sure he's drunk, anyway.
An' if he ain't handed over that letter to the sheriff, you'll see to
it. Say, you'd best shake him up some; don't be too easy."

"I'll bring him out," replied Tresler, quietly.

"Hah, kind o' squeamish," sneered Jake.

"No. I'm not knocking drunken men about. That's all."

"Wal, go and bring him out," snarled the giant. "I'll see to the
rest."

Tresler went off to the barn without another word. His going was
almost precipitate, but not from any fear of Jake. It was himself he
feared. This merciless brute drove him to distraction every time he
came into contact with him, and the only way he found it possible to
keep the peace with him at all was by avoiding him, by getting out of
his way, by shutting him out of mind, whenever it was possible.

In a few minutes he had set out. His uneasy mare was still only half
tamed, and very fresh. She left the yards peaceably enough, but jibbed
at the river ford. The inevitable thrashing followed, Tresler knowing
far too much by now to spare her. Just for one moment she seemed
inclined to submit and behave herself, and take to the water kindly.
Then her native cussedness asserted itself; she shook her head
angrily, and caught the bar of the spade-bit in her great, strong
teeth, swung round, and, stretching her long ewe neck, headed south
across country as hard as she could lay heels to the ground.

Tresler fought her every foot of the way, but it was useless. The
devil possessed her, and she worked her will on him. By the time he
should have reached Forks he was ten miles in the opposite direction.

However, he was