"Good! Soon, I hope," and Jean rubbed his hands in pleased anticipation as he drew up to the table. * * * * * Dave sat silently watching Rose, after Jean had left them to go to his work. She went about her daily duties, patiently waiting. Something in Dave’s manner told her he had come for more than the mere pleasure of seeing her. "Rose, sit down," he said at last. "I want to talk to you." She seated herself obediently and faced him. "_Allons_," she prompted him. "You see, it’s this way: Here ’s me, errand boy for Schatz. I draws my time, same as I ’m a-punchin’ for him, but what is it? Not enough to live on. I can make more with th’ cards, a whole lot more, on’y you says no. An’ there ain’t nothin’ reglar ’bout gamblin’, anyhow. Schatz is honin’ for his ranch. He ’s bound to get it an’ I ’m bound to help him. ’Cause why? I strike it rich. Schatz will put me on as foreman or mebby better. Now, how do we get th’ ranch? Break that McAllister-Peters combine, that’s how. An’ how do we break ’em? You." "Me?" "You. It’s pie. You get him here—Peters—an’ I got a man as ’ll clean him out like a cyclone lickin’ up a haystack. You get him here, that’s all. You know how. I ain’t a-goin’ to be jealous of a girl as breaks off a kiss in th’ middle an’ han’s me back my end of it. You ain’t woke up yet, Rose, an’ when you do, I ’ll be there." "You will be there." "You bet—with aces—four of ’em." He nodded with confident assurance. "You get Peters a-comin’ here an’ then some night Comin’ Thirty drops in casual to see yore daddy. That ’ll be all. Comin’ knows his business." "Who is Comin’?" "Who is he?" Dave grinned. "Well, he’s th’ on’y man can deal a deck between th’ Mississip’ an’ th’ Rockies. When Peters gets through with him he won’t think so much o’ that feller he met in Cheyenne—H—l!" He sprang to his feet, consternation on his face. Rose gazed at him in mute wonder. "It can’t be!" he muttered, "he went out long ago." He was silent in troubled speculation for a while. "Rose," he continued abruptly, "you ask Peters, first time you see him—when ’ll you go? To-day?" "Go where?" "Over to th’ ranch," he explained, impatiently. "You ’ve got to set her rollin’. Go over to see Pickles, can’t you?" "Yes, if you say go." "All right. Go to-day. An’ ask Peters when he ’s seen Tex Ewalt. Don’t forget th’ name: Tex Ewalt." "Tex Ewalt. I go now. It may be difficult. Men do not come here like before—" "Before I showed ’em th’ way. You ’ll get Peters, if you try right." "And you? Is it to Big Moose you ride?" "No, I got to go to Wayback. Will I throw th’ leather onto Swaller?" "No, Swallow come when I call." "All right. Then I’ll hit th’ trail. What, you won’t? Wait till you wake up." He went off laughing and in a minute more swung past the house with a rattle of harness and shout of farewell. Rose stood in the doorway, motionless, looking after him.