-e-e-e-e-o-w! Cowboys a-comin'!"

A citizen or two paused on the street corner, a few Mexicans grinned as
they drew back to allow the Gringo free access to the saloon, and a
swarthy figure slipped unobserved across the street and blended into the
shadow of the adobe wall.

"O-o-o-o-o-h, the yaller r-o-s-e of Texas!" sang the cowpuncher, with
joyous vehemence. As he stepped into the room, his eyes swept the faces
of the gamblers and again he burst into vociferous song:

"O-o-o-o-o-h, w-h-e-r-e is my wanderin' b-o-y tonight?"

"Hey, you! Whad'ye think this is, a camp meetin'?"

The Texan faced the speaker. "Well, if it ain't my old college chum!
Fatty, I stopped in a purpose to see you. An' besides which, by the
unalien rights of the Constitution an' By-laws of this here United States
of Texas, a man's got a right to sing whatever song suits him
irregardless of sex or opportunity." The other glared malevolently as
the cowpuncher approached the bar with a grin. "Don't bite yourself an'
die of hydrophobia before your eggication is complete, which it ain't
till you've learnt never to insult no Texas man by offerin' to trade no
rat-tailed, ewe-necked old buzzard fodder fer a top Texas horse.

"Drop that mallet! An' don't go reachin-' around in under that bar,
'cause if you find what you're huntin' fer you're a-goin' to see fer
yourself if every cloud's got a silver linin'. 'Tend to business now,
an' set out a bottle of your famous ol' Las Vegas stummick shellac an'
while I'm imbibin' of its umbilical ambrosier, I'll jest onscrew your
nose an' feed it to the cat."

Sweat stood out upon the forehead of the heavy-paunched proprietor as
with a flabby-faced grin he set out the bottle. But the Texan caught the
snake-like flash of the eyes with which the man signalled to the croupier
across the room. Gun in hand, he whirled:

"No, you don't, Toney!" An ugly blue-black automatic dropped to the
floor and the croupier's hands flew ceilingward.

"I never seen such an outfit to be always a-reachin'," grinned the
cowpuncher. "Well, if there ain't the ol' eagle-bird wheel! Give her a
spin, Toney! They say you can't hit an eagle on the fly with a six-gun,
but I'm willin' to try! Spin her good, 'cause I don't want no onfair
advantage of that there noble bird. Stand back, Greasers, so you don't
get nicked!"

As the croupier spun the wheel, three shots rang in an almost continuous
explosion and the gamblers fell ove