to fight about except to keep from
getting licked, and it's for you to say when to stop."

"Well, I say stop, for the present. I haven't been used to fighting your
way. I'm from the West, and if I had you there we'd soon settle it. It's
not over with as it is. I'll see you again. Do you expect to come back
out here this summer?"

"Well, I'm not going to let you keep me away. You don't know what you've
run up against, young fellow. I teach boxing in town. That's my lay."

"All right. I'll see you again."

"But my way, understand. Don't come any Western business on me."

"I'll see you again and your way. I never was beaten long at a time."

"Good enough. Got through seeing me about the horse?"

"I'm through. No, wait a moment. If you go back to the house and say
anything about this affair, I'll try you the Western way. Do you
understand?"

"Oh, it's nothing to me. I won't mention it. Good-day. I'll take care of
your horse."

Milford went home, covered with blood. He washed himself and lay down
under the walnut tree to steam in his anger. His lip was cut and his
cheek was bruised. He jumped up suddenly, ran into the house and took
two pistols out of a battered leather bag, but he put them back and sat
down in the door to cool. The hired man came around the corner of the
house.

"I guess you must have found him," he said, halting with a smile and a
nod.

"Yes, and he was too much for me. But I'll get even with him."

"That's the way to look at it. May take a long time, but it's to come
round all right. I used to drive a team in Chicago. And one day I had to
cuss the driver of a coal wagon, and he ups with a lump of coal and
smashes my face. I was a long time getting even with him, but I got
there."

"Did you kill him?"

"Kill him! Well, I should say not. I didn't have enough money to kill
him and get away with it. I just waited, watchin' him close every time I
saw him. And one day he jumped off his wagon, slipped on the ice and
broke his leg. Satisfied me, and after that I turned him loose."

"Bob, do you know anything about boxing?"

"I used to be somethin' of a scrapper. Why?"

"I want you to teach me."

"Don't believe I'd be a very good teacher. But, say, I know a feller
that's all right. He used to be a sort of a prize fighter and he's now
got a little saloon up here at Antioch, 'bout ten miles up the road. His
name's Mulligan."

"All right. You go ahead with your work just as if I was with you.