th downward sweep of his hand. "Many a
would-be gun slinger has borrowed Fisher's name. But Fisher is daid
these many years."

"Ahuh! Wal, mebbe, but don't you fergit it--thet Blue was no
would-be," declared Somers. "He was the genuine article."

"I should smile!" affirmed Springer.

The subject irritated Colter, and he dismissed it with another forcible
gesture and a counter question.

"How many left in that Isbel outfit?"

"No tellin'. There shore was enough of them," replied Somers.
"Anyhow, the woods was full of flyin' bullets.... Springer, did you
account for any of them?"

"Nope--not thet I noticed," responded Springer, dryly. "I had my
chance at the half-breed.... Reckon I was nervous."

"Was Slater near you when he yelled out?"

"No. He was lyin' beside Somers."

"Wasn't thet a queer way fer a man to act?" broke in Somers. "A bullet
hit Slater, cut him down the back as he was lyin' flat. Reckon it
wasn't bad. But it hurt him so thet he jumped right up an' staggered
around. He made a target big as a tree. An' mebbe them Isbels didn't
riddle him!"

"That was when I got my crack at Bill Isbel," declared Colter, with
grim satisfaction. "When they shot my horse out from under me I had
Ellen to think of an' couldn't get my rifle. Shore had to run, as yu
seen. Wal, as I only had my six-shooter, there was nothin' for me to
do but lay low an' listen to the sping of lead. Wells was standin' up
behind a tree about thirty yards off. He got plugged, an' fallin' over
he began to crawl my way, still holdin' to his rifle. I crawled along
the log to meet him. But he dropped aboot half-way. I went on an'
took his rifle an' belt. When I peeped out from behind a spruce bush
then I seen Bill Isbel. He was shootin' fast, an' all of them was
shootin' fast. That war, when they had the open shot at Slater....
Wal, I bored Bill Isbel right through his middle. He dropped his rifle
an', all bent double, he fooled around in a circle till he flopped over
the Rim. I reckon he's layin' right up there somewhere below that daid
spruce. I'd shore like to see him."

"I Wal, you'd be as crazy as Queen if you tried thet," declared Somers.
"We're not out of the woods yet."

"I reckon not," replied Colter. "An' I've lost my horse. Where'd y'u
leave yours?"

"They're down the canyon, below thet willow brake. An' saddled an'
none of them tied. Reckon we'll have to look them up before dark."

"Colter, what