annon, one hand on the boy's shoulder to steady him.
He was aware of movement behind him. If the fellow at the back table had
been dozing earlier, he was roused now.

"Where did you git them spurs?"

Drew turned, his lips shaped a name, tried again, and got it out as a
hoarse whisper. "Anse! Don't you know me, Anse?"

He saw eyes lift from the floor level, the scarred cheek under a ragged
fringe of beard; and then astonishment in the other's expression became a
flashing grin.

"Drew--Drew Rennie! Lordy, it's sure enough Drew Rennie!"

Drew was on his feet. His hands on the other's shoulders pulled him
forward into a rough half embrace. "Anse!" He swayed to the joyous
pounding of a fist between his shoulder blades. "I thought you were dead!"
he somehow gasped.

"An' I seen _you_ go down; a slug got you plumb center!" the Texan
sputtered. "Rolled 'round a bush an' saw you git it! But for a ghost
you're sure lively!"

"Caught me in the belt buckle," Drew recounted that miracle of the war.
"Knocked me out; didn't really touch to matter, though."

Anse pushed away a little, still holding Drew tightly by the upper arms.
"Anybody told me I'd see Drew Rennie live an' kickin', I'd said straight
to his face he was a fork-tongued liar!"

Drew came partly to his senses and the present. Fowler ... Nye ... either
one of them could come back on this reunion. "Anse--listen! This is
important. I ain't Drew Rennie--not here, not now--"

"Had to draw a new name outta th' deck?" Anse's grin faded; his eyes
narrowed. "All right, what's the goin' handle?"

"Kirby, Drew Kirby ... I'll explain later." He had given the warning only
just in time. Fowler and Hamilcar were coming from the back room of the
cantina, and there was a stir at the table.

Johnny was sitting up, his head swaying from side to side, his eyes on
Drew and Anse. But the stare was unfocused; he must still be only half
conscious. Drew had a fleeting prick of worry. Had Shannon heard anything
he would remember? There was nothing to be done about that now.

7

" ... and that's the way it is." Drew sat on the stool which was the only
other furnishing in the bath cubicle while Anse splashed and wallowed in
the slab tub.

The Texan swiped soap from his cheek. "An' ain't you gonna tell?"

"I don't know. Would you?"

"Go with m' hat in hand an' say, 'Well, Pa, here's your wanderin' boy'?
No, I dunno as how I'd be makin' that kinda play neither. Never was