d voice, utterly unlike his usual forceful manner, "I jest
wanted to ast you to change 'watches' wi' me. I've kind o' lost my
grip on sleep. Mebbe I'm weak'nin' some. I 'lows I'm li'ble to git
sleepy later on, an' I tho't, mebbe, ef I wus to do the fust
watch--wal, y' see, I guess that plug in my chest ain't done me a heap
o' good."

Tresler was on his feet in an instant. It had suddenly dawned on him
that this queer son of the prairie was ill.

"Rot, man!" he exclaimed. His tone in no way hid his alarm. They were
at the gate of the big corral, hidden in the shadow cast by the high
wall of lateral logs. "You go and turn in. I'm going to watch till
daylight."

"Say, that's real friendly," observed the other, imperturbably. "But
it ain't no use. Guess I couldn't sleep yet."

"Well, please yourself. I'm going to watch till daylight." Tresler's
manner was quietly decided, and Arizona seemed to accept it.

"Wal, ef it hits you that a-ways I'll jest set around till I git
sleepy."

Tresler's alarm was very real, but he shrugged with a great assumption
of indifference and moved off to make a round of the corrals,
carefully hugging the shadow of the walls as he went. After a while he
returned to his post. Arizona was still sitting where he had left him.

There was a silence for a few minutes. Then the American quietly drew
his revolver and spun the chambers round. Tresler watched him, and the
other, looking up, caught his eye.

"Guess these things is kind o' tricksy," he observed, in explanation,
"I got it jammed oncet. It's a decent weapon but noo, an' I ain't fer
noo fixin's. This hyar," he went on, drawing a second one from its
holster, "is a 'six' an' 'ud drop an ox at fifty. Ha'r trigger too.
It's a dandy. Guess it wus 'Tough' McCulloch's. Guess you ain't got
yours on your hip?"

Tresler shook his head. "No, I use the belt for my breeches, and keep
the guns loose in my pockets when I'm not riding."

"Wrong. Say, fix 'em right. You take a sight too many chances."

Tresler laughingly complied "I'm not likely to need them, but
still----"

"Nope." Arizona returned his guns to their resting-place. Then he
looked up. "Say, guess I kind o' fixed the hosses diff'rent. Our
hosses. Bro't 'em up an' stood 'em in the angle wher' this corral
joins the next one. Seems better; more handy-like. It's sheltered, an'
ther's a bit of a sharp breeze. One o' them early frosts." He looked
up at the sky. "Guess ther' didn't ought.