d for
gambling. They had been drinking bad liquor, much too much for most of
them; headed by Weir, Caney and Hales, seconded by any chance buyer,
and followed up by the Merman, who served a round on the house with
unwonted frequency.

Jody pounded on the bar.

"Yes, that's his little scheme--intimidation. He's countin' on the
cowboys to scare Hillsboro out--him playin' plumb innocent of
course--knowin' nothin', victim of circumstances. Sure! 'Turn this
poor persecuted boy loose!' they'll say. 'You got nothin' on him.' Oh,
them bold bad men!"

"That don't sound reasonable, Jody," objected Shaky Akins. "Forbes
was a cowman. You're a cowman yourself."

"Yes--but I saw. These fellers'll hear, and then they'll shoot
off their mouths on general principles, not knowing straight up
about it; then they'll stick to what they first said, out of plumb
pig-headedness. One thing I'm glad of: I sure hope Cole Ralston likes
the way his new man turned out."

"Dines and Charlie See favor each other a heap. Not in looks so much,"
said Shaky, "but in their ways. I used to know Charlie See right well,
over on the Pecos. He was shortstop on the Roswell nine. He couldn't
hit, and he couldn't field, and he couldn't run bases--but oh, people,
how that man could play ball!"

"Nonsense. They're not a bit alike. You think so, just because they're
both little."

"I don't either. I think so because they're both--oh my!"

"I don't like this man See, either," said Caney. "I don't like a hair
of his head. Too damn smart. Somebody's going to break him in two
before he's much older."

"Now listen!" said Shaky Akins, without heat. "When you go to break
Charlie See you'll find he is a right flexible citizen--any man, any
time, anywhere."

"Well," said Hales, "all this talking is dry work. Come up, boys. This
one is on me."

"What will it be, gentlemen?" inquired the suave Merman. "One Scotch.
Yes. Three straights. A highball. Three rums. One gin sling. Make it
two? Right. Next? Whisky straight. And the same. What's yours, Mr.
Akins?"

"Another blond bland blend," said Shaky. "But you haven't answered my
question, Jody. Why should cowmen see this killing any different from
anyone else? Just clannishness, you think?"

"Because cowmen can read sign," said Charlie See. He stood framed in
the front door: he stepped inside.

The startled room turned to the door. There were nudges and whispers.
Talking ceased. There had been a dozen noisy con