"They ’d give you money for th’ fun of taking it away from you," asserted Tex. "Why, one feller, a slick dresser, too, asks me for th’ time. I was some proud of that ticker—cost nigh onto a hundred dollars. He thanks me an’ slips into th’ crowd. When I went to put th’ watch back I did n’t have none. I licked th’ next man, old as he was, who asks me for th’ time. He was plumb surprised when I punched him—reckon he figured I was easy." "Ain’t they got policemen?" demanded Red. "Yes; but _they_ don’t carry watches—they ’re too smart." "Have a drink, Tex," suggested Lanky, bottle in hand. When the owner of it took a drink he looked at his friends and then at the bottle, disgust pictured on his face. "This liquor’s shore goin’ to die purty soon. It’s gettin’ weaker every day. Now I wonder what in h—l Cowan makes it out of?" "It _is_ sort of helpless," admitted Tex. "Now, Kid, I ’ll borrow another of them cigars of yourn. Them Maduros are shore good stuff. I would n’t ask you only you said you had a—" "D’ju see any shows in th’ East?" demanded Johnny, hurriedly: "Real, good, bang-up shows?" Skinny faded into the bunk-room and soon returned, puzzled and suspicious. He slipped Tex a cigar and in a few moments sidled up close to the smoker. "That as good as th’ Kid’s?" he asked, carelessly. Tex regarded it gravely: "Yes; better. I like ’em black, but don’t say nothin’ to Johnny. He likes them blondes ’cause he ’s young." It was not long before Tex, having paid his respects to the foreman’s wife, returned to the bunk-house, leaned luxuriously against the wall and told of his experiences in the East. He had an attentive audience and it swayed easily and heartily to laughter or sympathy as the words warranted. There was much to laugh at and a great deal to strain credulity. But the great story was not told, the story of the things pitiful in the manner in which they showed up how square a regenerated man could be, and how false a woman. It was the old story—ambition drove him out into a new world with nothing but a clean conscience, a strong, deft pair of hands, and a clever brain; a woman drove him back, beaten, disheartened, and perilously near the devious ways he had forsaken. He could not stay in the new surroundings without killing—and he knew the woman was to blame; so when he felt the ground slip under his hesitating feet, he threw the new life behind him and hastened West, feverish to gain the locality where he had learned to look himself in the face with regret and remorse, but without shame.