to bring his two hands together behind his
opponent's back. A sudden relaxation of the latter's grip as he made
another desperate effort to release his pistol favored Keith, and,
bringing his hands together, he lifted his antagonist from his feet, and
by a dexterous twist whirled him over his shoulder and dashed him with
all his might, full length flat on his back, upon the floor. It was an
old trick learned in his boyish days and practised on the Dennisons, and
Gordon had by it ended many a contest, but never one more completely
than this. A buzz of applause came from the bystanders, and more than
one, with sudden friendliness, called to him to get Bluffy's pistol,
which had fallen on the floor. But Keith had no need to do so, for just
then a stoutly built young fellow snatched it up. It was Dave Dennison,
who had come in just as the row began. He had been following up Bluffy.
The desperado, however, was too much shaken to have used it immediately,
and when, still stunned and breathless, he rose to his feet, the crowd
was too much against him to have allowed him to renew the attack, even
had he then desired it.

As for Keith, he found himself suddenly the object of universal
attention, and he might, had he been able to distribute himself, have
slept in half the shacks in the camp.

The only remark Dave made on the event was characteristic:

"Don't let him git the drop on you again."

The next morning Keith found himself, in some sort, famous. "Tacklin'
Bill Bluffy without a gun and cleanin' him up," as one of his new
friends expressed it, was no mean feat, and Keith was not insensible to
the applause it brought him. He would have enjoyed it more, perhaps, had
not every man, without exception, who spoke of it given him the same
advice Dave had given--to look out for Bluffy. To have to kill a man or
be killed oneself is not the pleasantest introduction to one's new home;
yet this appeared to Keith the dilemma in which he was placed, and as,
if either had to die, he devoutly hoped it would not be himself, he
stuck a pistol in his pocket and walked out the next morning with very
much the same feeling he supposed he should have if he had been going to
battle. He was ashamed to find himself much relieved when some one he
met volunteered the information that Bluffy had left town by light that
morning. "Couldn't stand the racket. Terpy wouldn't even speak to him.
But he'll come back. Jest as well tote your gun a little whil