attleman who stuck to the old
ways would not survive.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

BEAR CAT ASLEEP

Bear Cat basked in the mellow warmth of Indian summer. Peace brooded over
the valley, a slumberous and placid drowsiness. Outside Platt & Fortner's
store big freight wagons stood close to the sidewalk. They had just come
in from their long overland journey and had not yet been unloaded. A
Concord stage went its dusty way down the street headed for Newcastle.
Otherwise there was little evidence of activity.

It was about ten o'clock in the morning. The saloons and gambling-houses
were almost deserted. The brisk business of the night had died down. Even
a poker player and a faro dealer must sleep.

Main Street was in a coma. A dog lazily poked a none too inquisitive nose
into its epidermis in a languid search for fleas. Past the dog went a
barefoot urchin into a store for two pounds of eight-penny nails.

Three horsemen appeared at the end of the street and moved down it at the
jog-trot which is the road gait of the cowpuncher. They dismounted near
the back door of Platt & Fortner's and flung the bridle reins over the
wheel spokes of the big freight wagons with the high sides. They did not
tie the reins even in slip knots.

The riders stood for a moment talking in low voices before they
separated. One went into Dolan's. He was a good-looking young fellow
about twenty. A second wandered into the hotel saloon. He was not
good-looking and was twice twenty. The third strolled past the bank,
glanced in, turned, and walked past it a second time. He straddled, with
jingling spurs, into the big store.

Tom Platt nodded casually to him. "Anything I can do for you, Houck?"

"I reckon," Houck grunted.

Platt noticed that he limped slightly. He had no feeling of friendliness
toward Houck, but common civility made him inquire how the wounded leg
was doing. After the Indian campaign the Brown's Park man had gone to
Meeker for his convalescence. That had been two months since.

"'S all right," growled the big fellow.

"Good. Thought you kinda favored it a little when you walked."

The Brown's Park man bought a plug of chewing tobacco and a shirt.

"Guess the soldiers got the Utes corralled all right by this time. Hear
anything new about that?" Platt asked by way of making conversation.

"No," Houck replied shortly. "Got an empty gunnysack I could have?"

"Sure." The storekeeper found one and a string with which to tie it.