t, a big pink mass of
ribbons, fluttering and wrenching itself among them.

"She has six ounces of laudanum in her," Barker told them at the top of
his voice. "It won't wait all night."

"I'm a whirlwind!" said Mrs. Lusk. "That's my game! And you done your
share," she cried to the fiddler. "Here's my regards, old man! 'Buffalo
Girls' once more!"

She flung out her hand, and from it fell notes and coins, rolling
and ringing around the starch boxes. Some dragged her on, while some
fiercely forbade the musician to touch the money, because it was hers,
and she would want it when she came to. Thus they gathered it up for
her. But now she had sunk down, asking in a new voice where was Lin
McLean. And when one grinning intimate reminded her that Lusk had gone
to shoot him, she laughed out richly, and the crowd joined her mirth.
But even in the midst of the joke she asked again in the same voice
where was Lin McLean. He came beside her among more jokes. He had kept
himself near, and now at sight of him she reached out and held him.
"Tell them to leave me go to sleep, Lin," said she.

Barker saw a chance. "Persuade her to come along," said he to McLean.
"Minutes are counting now."

"Oh, I'll come," she said, with a laugh, overhearing him, and holding
still to Lin.

The rest of the old friends nudged each other. "Back seats for us," they
said. "But we've had our turn in front ones." Then, thinking they would
be useful in encouraging her to walk, they clustered again, rendering
Barker and McLean once more well-nigh helpless. Clumsily the escort made
its slow way across the quadrangle, cautioning itself about stones and
holes. Thus, presently, she was brought into the room. The escort set
her down, crowding the little place as thick as it would hold; the rest
gathered thick at the door, and all of them had no thought of departing.
The notion to stay was plain on their faces.

Barker surveyed them. "Give the doctor a show now, boys," said he.
"You've done it all so far. Don't crowd my elbows. I'll want you," he
whispered to McLean.

At the argument of fair-play, obedience swept over them like a veering
of wind. "Don't crowd his elbows," they began to say at once, and told
each other to come away. "We'll sure give the Doc room. You don't want
to be shovin' your auger in, Chalkeye. You want to get yourself pretty
near absent." The room thinned of them forthwith. "Fix her up good,
Doc," they said, over their shoulders. They s