the measly hole
in my shoulder that's got me on the prod?" retorted Johnny, with more
earnestness than politeness. "But why couldn't I go with my friends
after Jerry an' get shot later if I had to get it at all? Look what I'm
missing, roped an' throwed in this cussed ten-by-ten shack while they're
having a little excitement."

"Yo're missing some blamed nasty weather, Kid," replied the marshal.
"You ain't got no kick coming at all. Why, I got soaked clean through
just going down to the Oasis."

"Well, I'm kicking, just the same," snapped Johnny. "An' furthermore, I
don't see nobody big enough to stop me, neither--did you all get that?"

The rear door opened and Fred Neal looked in. "Hey, Barr; come out an'
gimme a hand in the corral. Busted my cinch all to pieces half a mile
out--an' how the devil it ever busted like that is--" the door slammed
shut and softened his monologue.

"Would you listen to that!" snorted Barr in an injured tone. "Didn't I
go an' tell him near a month ago that his cussed cinch wouldn't hold no
better'n a piece of wet paper?" His complaint added materially to the
atmosphere of sullen discontent pervading the room. "An' now I gotter
go out in this rain an'--" the slam of the door surpassed anything yet
attempted in that line of endeavor. Jackson grabbed a can of corn as it
jarred off the shelf behind him and directed a pleasing phrase after the
peevish Barr.

"Say, won't somebody please smile?" gravely asked Edwards. "I never saw
such a happy, cheerful bunch before."

"I might smile if I wasn't so blamed hungry," retorted Johnny. "Doesn't
anybody ever eat in this town?" he asked in great sarcasm. "Mebby a good
feed won't do me no good, but I'm going to fill myself regardless. An'
after that, if the grub don't shock me to death, I'm shore going to trim
somebody at Ol' Sledge--for two bits a hand."

"If I could play you enough hands at that price I could sell out an'
live high without working," grinned Jackson, preparing to give the
reckless invalid all he could eat. "That's purty high, Kid; but I just
feel real devilish, an' I'm coming in."

"An' I'll go over to my shack, get some money, an' bust the pair of
you," laughed Edwards, again buttoning his coat and going towards
the door. "Holy Cats! A log must 'a' got jammed in the sluice-gate
up there," he muttered, scowling at the black sky. "It's coming down
harder'n ever, but here goes," and he stepped quickly into the storm.

Jackson pau