* * * * * One day Cock Eye, waddling on his short legs and with his rotund stomach protruding, was again strolling around the square in the afternoon. It chanced that he met Hesbern, who greeted him. “Say, mister,” the stroller asked, “What’s there funny about me getting an empty bottle?” Cock Eye bristled angrily. “Who you talkin’ to?” he demanded. Hesbern’s gray eyes looked wonderingly into the man’s face, steady, narrowing and losing their sparkle in an odd, moon colored opacity. “Ten-twelve fellers told me you said it was funny,” Hesbern answered quietly. “I want to know why?” Cock Eye’s face swelled a blotchy white, red and purple. “What’s it to ye?” Cock Eye cried, his voice rising from a growl into a shrill hawklike shriek, which attracted attention far and wide. “I got that empty bottle for a baby with the stomach ache,” Hesbern declared. “An old woman ast me to, so’s they could put it on the kid, account of the lady what had it being in bed, an’ her man sickly. I don’t see nothin’ funny in a baby having the stomach ache.” “I don’t care a damn if you do or not!” Cock Eye snarled. “Uh-huh!” Hesbern grunted, going on his way with two store bundles under his arm. “Hey, you!” Cock Eye called after him. “I wanta know what’s aching you ’bout me? Anyhow, you mind yer own business ’bout me!” Hesbern turned to gaze at the short, thick, angry man. “Course,” Hesbern answered presently, “I mind my own business. I always do, mister. I’ve been hearin’ some talk, tha’s all.” “I don’t care what ye hear!” Cock Eye growled into a shriek. “Tha’s what I thought!” Hesbern said shortly, and the bartender’s lower jaw dropped. * * * * * That night instead of just a few of the boys coming into the One Way Thru Saloon, the place was crowded. About every one had come out. Cock Eye Baer, with flat face and glowering eyes, served the drinks, very tart in his few words. “Hear that stroller insulted you, Cock Eye?” a newcomer inquired. “What’d he say?” “Why, he ast me what’s funny about that empty bottle! I told ’im to mind his own business, bellyaching around. I stood right up to him an’ tol’ ’im I didn’t care what he thought! An’, by Gawd, he said he didn’t care what I thought! I’m gettin’ sick of him standing up to me thataway. I don’t have ta take anything from him, I don’t!” “Tha’s right, Cock Eye!” the listeners exclaimed. “Don’tcha let ’im bluff you a dad blamed inch, no sir!” “Don’t worry ’bout me!” Cock Eye snorted. “He won’t be the first man I’ve handled.” “Tha’s so, Cock Eye!” approved City Marshal Culder who had dropped in for a warm. “That feller’s got a bad eye. I could see’t when I talked to ’im. “I’ll look, Marshall. Trust me!” Cock Eye allowed himself to grin a bit. “All I want’s you to testify to that to the inquest.”