good fellowship.

Calumet turned with a grin. "Me an' my friend has got to the end of
our capacity," he said. "He's workin' for me an I ain't settin' him a
bad example. The next time, if you're in the humor, I'll be glad to
drink all you can buy." He waved a hand behind him, with the other he
was pushing Dade before him toward the door. "So-long," he said, as he
and Dade went out.

Taggart laughed as he turned to his companions, who had said nothing
during the conversation.

"Friends!" he said; "he's green an' due for a shock!"

Either Taggart or the proprietor had made a mistake in their estimate
of Calumet. For at the instant Taggart had sneered at Calumet to his
friends, the bartender, who had come in while Taggart and Calumet had
been talking, leaned over to listen to the proprietor.

"In Taggart's place," said the proprietor, "I'd be mighty careful of
that man. Friend, eh? Well, mebbe. But you noticed that he didn't
offer to shake hands with Taggart. An' he wouldn't drink. Reached his
capacity! He had four in here. Sober as a judge! Did you notice his
eyes? They fair made me shiver when he looked at me when I was talkin'
about his old man. I'm goin' to be damn careful about my palaver after
this. Friend! Well, if I wasn't his friend I'd be damn careful not to
rile him!"

Outside Dade halted, white hot with rage.

"I reckon I ain't got no job with you, you white-livered--"

The muzzle of Calumet's forty-five, magically produced, it seemed, so
quickly did it show in his hand, was making an icy ring against Dade's
throat, and the words, the epithet for which he had hesitated, remained
unspoken. Metallic, venomous and filled with a threat of death came
Calumet's voice.

"You sufferin' fool!" he said, the words writhing through his lips, his
eyes blazing. "It's my game, do you hear? An' if you gas another word
about it I'll tear you apart!"

"He was blackguardin' Betty," objected Dade, his face ashen, but his
spirit still undaunted. "He was blackguardin' her an' you made friends
with him. I'd have salivated him if I'd thought you wasn't goin' to.
I'm goin' back there now an'--"

Calumet stepped back a pace and cocked his six-shooter. "I reckon I
can't make you understand that it's my game," he said coldly. "Walk
backwards when you go in," he directed; "I don't want to plug you in
the back."

Dade started and looked intently at Calumet. "You mean that it ain't
ended between you a