"Sleepin' off his liquor," said Dave. "Why, that's it! While he slept somebody took his outfit an' kidnapped th' Doc. H--l, it may all be a joke!" "You wouldn't think so if you observed that man as I did," replied the Doc. "He was in deadly earnest. I could _feel_ it." "Well, there's two ways to start at it," said Johnny, ordering drinks all around, including Two-Spot. "He had a grudge ag'in' you, an' he was extra friendly to th' SV. Run back in yore mem'ry for somebody that hates you enough to want to get square. If that don't work, then hunt for th' feller that likes th' SV. Anybody 'round here that's sweet on that Arnold gal, that you knows of?" "No; not that we know of," answered the Doc. "Big Tom was the last one who called there; but he quit, quite some time ago." "Got throwed so hard he still aches," gloated Two-Spot. "Well, I can't help you," said Johnny. "I don't know anythin' about th' people around here. An', bein' a stranger, an' likely to be suspected of any orphaned devilment, I'm shore glad I looked in here, last night. But I ain't worryin' about Squint," he deprecated. "He's an old hand at takin' care of hisself, if I'm any judge. He'll turn up with a headache, an' yell fit to bust for his saddle, an' gun." "I hope so," said Dave. He turned to the Doc. "Did you fix up th' laig?" "Certainly; it was a simple fracture," answered the Doc. He paused. "Cussed if I know what to think," he growled, arising. He had observed Johnny closely, saw that he was left-handed, found the voice not quite what he had hoped for, and Dave's statement cinched the matter. He nodded good-by and went out, but he looked at Johnny's saddle, where he found silver ornaments instead of brass, and plain stirrup guards instead of the fringed ones he had noticed the night before. Shaking his head he mounted and rode homeward. Two-Spot placed the broom across a table and sat down. "Dave," he said, almost reverently, "what made you say that?" "Say what?" demanded the proprietor, belligerently. "You hearin' things?" "Mebby; but I ain't _seein'_ 'em." "What did I say that's ridin' you so hard?" demanded Dave. "What you did about Nelson lookin' in last night." "What was that?" asked Johnny, with pardonable curiosity. "Why, Dave up an' tells th' Doc that you poked yore head in at that there door at nine-thirty _last night_," explained Two-Spot. "Well, suppose I did?" asked Johnny. "What about it?" "Well, now," mourned Two-Spot, "if I ain't got th' cussedest mem'ry! It's got Texas fever; a tick must a' crawled up my ear. Of course you did; and didn't you say 'Two-Spot, when I sees you tomorrow I'll buy you a drink?'" "I reckon I might 'a' said somethin' like that," laughed Johnny. "She's yourn, Ol' Timer--with a cigar to punish me for forgettin'." Two-Spot enjoyed his drink and pulled contentedly on the cigar. Then he turned toward the rear door. "Time for me to give George a hand. Shall I take Pepper around out of th' sun?"