r.

At the Mountain House Stanley ordered a special supper cooked for him,
with real potatoes and cow milk. Dewing refused a drink, pleading his
profession; and Stanley left his fat wallet in the Mountain House safe.

"Well, I'll say good-night now," said Dewing. "See you after supper?"

"Oh, I'll side you a ways yet. Goin' up to the shack to unsaddle. Always
like to have my horse eat before I do. And you'll not see me after
supper--not unless you are up at the post-office. I'm done with cards."

"I'd like to have a little chin with you to-morrow," said Dewing. "Not
about cards. Business. I'm sick of cards, myself. I'll never be able to
live 'em down--especially with this pleasing nickname of mine. I want
to talk trade. About your ranch: you've still got your wells and
water-holes? I was thinking of buying them of you and going in for the
straight and narrow. I might even stock up and throw in with you--but you
wouldn't want a partner from the wrong side of the table? Well, I don't
blame you--but say, Stan, on the level, it's a funny old world, isn't
it?"

"I'm going to take the stage to-morrow. See you when I come back. I'll
sell. I'm reformed about cattle, too," said Stan.

At the ball ground he bade Dewing good-night. The latter rode on to his
own hostelry at the other end of town. Civilization patronized the
Admiral Dewey as nearest the railroad; mountain men favored the Mountain
House as being nearest to grass.

Stanley turned up a side street to the one-roomed adobe house on the edge
of town that served as city headquarters for himself and Johnson. He
unsaddled in the little corral; he brought a feed of corn for brown
Awguan; he brought currycomb and brush and made glossy Awguan's sleek
sides, turning him loose at last, with a friendly slap, to seek pasture
on Cobre Hills. Then he returned to the Mountain House for the delayed
supper.

Meantime Mr. Something Dewing held a hurried consultation with Mr. Mayer
Zurich; and forthwith took horse again for Morning Gate Pass, slipping by
dark streets from the town, turning aside to pass Hospital Springs. Where
the arrest of the red pony had been effected, Dewing dismounted; below
the trail, a dozen yards away, he fished Mr. Stanley Mitchell's spur from
under a prickly pear; and returned in haste to Cobre.

After his supper Stanley strolled into Zurich's--The New York Store.

Unknown to him, at that hour brown Awguan was being driven back to his
little home corr