“Just hang around and wait for you to get well, I guess,” Matt laughed. “Don’t hike out of town, will you?” “No; I’m going to stay right here.” McGlory looked at the doctor. “He’s my pard, doc,” said he. “Matt’s his label, and he’s the clear quill any way you take him.” “You both seem to stand pretty high in each other’s estimation,” smiled the doctor. “I’m standing higher in his than I deserve.” “Cut that out, Joe,” said Matt. “I’ll cut it out and paste it in my hat so I won’t forget it. It’s the best lesson I ever had, and I’m going to profit by it. Lost--a fortune! That’s me. I was promised a place on Easy Street, and here I am in the hospital.” McGlory chuckled. “You may have lost a fortune, Joe,” said Matt, “but you’ve won something a whole lot better.” “I have--two busted ribs and a couple of weeks’ lay-off. Oh, I’m a lucky dog!” “Don’t fret about the ribs or the lay-off, Joe,” counseled Matt. “If you get to worrying, you may have to stay here longer than two weeks.” “Funny how I shut my eyes in Random & Griggs’ office,” remarked McGlory, leaping from one subject to another with the abruptness of a person whose brain is still a little befogged, “and open ’em here. That was sure a hard ride from Hempstead in. I don’t know how I managed to hang on. I reckon it was my wish to play even with the colonel that held me up.” “The colonel got his deserts, Joe,” said Matt. “The syndicate was next to him all the time. Our chasing in to tell what we knew didn’t make such a terrible lot of difference.” “It put us on record, that’s all. It’s mighty important, sometimes, to let people know where you stand.” “Correct, again. But listen. Didn’t Colonel Billings pull a gun on you, Matt, before he left the office? Seems to me I remember that.” “He pulled a gun, Joe; but I don’t know what he intended to do with it.” “Then I’ll put you next, pard. He intended to play even with you.” “Or you,” answered Matt. “Not me,” insisted Joe. “The colonel knows I haven’t got sense enough to make him much trouble. But he’s afraid of Matt King. Look out for him, pard.” “The colonel has his orders to leave town, and----” “That doesn’t mean that he’ll go. During the two weeks I’m holding down this nice little bed here, you keep both eyes skinned for Colonel Mark Antony Billings. He’s liable to show his hand when you’re not thinking he’s within a thousand miles of you. Pretty sudden, the colonel is. He sprang a surprise on us when we got to the Country Club and found him there to meet us instead of Joshua Griggs. That’s a sample of the way he does things, Matt. You look out for him.” “That will do now,” said the doctor authoritatively. “You’ve talked more than you ought to.” “When’ll you blow in here again, pard?” added McGlory, reaching out his hand. “This afternoon.” “That’s you. I’ve lost a fortune, pard, but I didn’t let you get away from me. We’re pards, same as per usual, and in spite of what happened at the Country Club?”