the
house," he handed the girl a quart bottle of whisky. "That'll keep 'em
from gettin' restless before the show starts."

Candle in one hand, bottle in the other, the girl made her way to the
door. As she stepped out into the night, she was hailed roughly by the
marshal: "Well, what'd he say, now?"

"He said," answered the girl, scornfully, "that you were not to order
any extra meals sent down to the jail on his account. And he sent you
this and asked me to tell you that the drinks were on the house." She
extended the bottle which the marshal eagerly grasped despite the
strenuous objections of Pete Barras who clamoured for the return of his
property.

"Ain't I had hell enough fer one day?" demanded the bartender, "what
with gittin' shot in the arm, an' gittin' tried to be held up fer four
dollars of Sam's debts, an' gittin' laid out cold with a spittoon, an'
gittin' my glasses an' bottles all busted, an' gittin' my place all shot
up, an' my merrow shot to hell, an' my kegs all shot holes in, without
all you's hornin' in an' drinkin' up what little I got left? As the
feller says, where do I git off at?"

"S'pose you dry up an' let me talk," retorted the marshal. "They ain't
no one payin' _you_ nawthin' to maintain law an' order in this town."

"If they was I'll be damned if I wouldn't maintain it, 'stead of millin'
around drinkin' up other folks' whisky----"

"Look a-here Pete Barras, this makes twict, now, you've ondertook to
tell me my business. You shet yer yap, 'er you don't draw no damages
when we corral that outlaw in yonder. I ain't so sure you didn't start
the rookus, nohow. Besides, the boys needs a little drink, an' we'll
charge this here bottle up along with the rest of the damages an' make
him pay 'em."

"Y'ain't caught him yet. Where do I git off at if you don't ketch him?"

Ike Stork, grinning huge enjoyment over the altercation, managed to
motion Alice to his side: "Better git over to yer cayuse," he cautioned.
"He's pretty near had time to make it into the alley, an' when he comes,
he'll come a-shootin'. Guess I'll jest keep the squabble a-goin', they
all seem right interested," he indicated the crowd that had edged close
about the two principals. And Alice smiled as she mounted her horse to
hear the renewed vigour with which retort met accusation after the
redoubtable Mr. Stork had contributed his observations from the side
lines. The girl's eyes were fixed upon the black mouth of the alley,
n