“Jest leave it lay,” retorted Purdy; “an’ at that, I’ll bet I buy her more drinks than what you do.”

Tex laughed:  “Sure.  But there ain’t nothin’ in buyin’ ’em drinks.  I’ve bought ’em drinks all night an’ then some other hombre’d step in an’——­”

“I’d bet yeh on that, too.  I didn’t notice her fallin’ no hell of a ways fer you.”

“Mebbe not.  I wasn’t noticin’ her much.  I was kind of studyin’ the pilgrim that was along with her.”

“What’s he got to do with it?”

“That’s what I was tryin’ to figger out.  But, hey, Cinnabar, how about that drink?  I’m dry as a post-hole.”

“Fill ’em up, Cinnabar.  I’m makin’ this noise,” seconded Purdy.  And as the Texan turned to greet an acquaintance, he caught out of the tail of his eye the glance that flashed between Purdy and the bartender.  Noticed, also out of the tail of his eye, that, contrary to custom, Cinnabar filled the glasses himself and that a few drops of colourless liquid splashed from the man’s palm into the liquor that was shoved toward him.  The Texan knew that Purdy had watched the operation interestedly and that he straightened with an audible sigh of relief at its conclusion.  “Come on, drink up!” Purdy raised his glass as Tex faced the bar with narrowed eyes.

“What’s them fellows up to?” cried Cinnabar Joe, and as Purdy turned, glass in hand, to follow his glance Tex saw the bartender swiftly substitute his own glass for the one into which he had dropped the liquid.

The next instant Purdy was again facing him.  “What fellers?” he asked sharply.

Cinnabar Joe laughed:  “Oh, that Bear Paw Pool bunch.  Fellow’s got to keep his eye peeled whenever they git their heads together.  Here’s luck.”

For only an instant did Tex hesitate while his brain worked rapidly.  “There’s somethin’ bein’ pulled off here,” he reasoned, “that I ain’t next to.  If that booze was doped why did Cinnabar drink it?  Anyways, he pulled that stall on Purdy fer some reason an’ it’s up to me to see him through with it.  But if I do git doped it won’t kill me an’ when I come alive they’s a couple of fellows goin’ to have to ride like hell to keep ahead of me.”

He drank the liquor and as he returned the glass to the bar he noted the glance of satisfaction that flashed into Purdy’s eyes.

“Come on, boys, let’s git things a-goin’!” Mayor Maloney stood in the doorway and beamed good humouredly:  “’Tain’t every cowtown’s got a bank an’ us Wolf Riverites has got to do ourself proud.  Every rancher an’ nester in forty mile around has drove in.  The flat’s rimmed with wagons an’ them train folks is cocked up on the lumber piles a-chickerin’ like a prairie-dog town.  We’ll pull off the racin’ an’ trick ridin’ an’ shootin’ first an’ save the ropin’ an’ buckin’ contests to finish off on.  Come on, you’ve all had enough to drink.  Jump on your horses an’ ride out on the flat like hell was tore loose fer recess.  Then when I denounce what’s a-comin’, them that’s goin’ to complete goes at it, an’ the rest pulls off to one side an’ looks on ’til their turn comes.”