"I'd give ten dollars to shake han's with th' man that done it," laughed Sage. "I bet Big Tom rolled on th' floor when he heard it--an' bit th' furniture!" "But how'd he get Squint's outfit?" demanded Wilkes. Dave told of Squint's disappearance and of the deep sorrow darkening the sun, whereupon an eager discussion took place. This lasted until Dailey came in and impatiently pounded on a table with the butt of his gun. "Order, Gents; order!" he shouted. "My time's valuable--who are goin' to be th' victims?" "Shore we'll order!" yelled Slim. "All up, boys! Dailey's treatin'," and despite his protests, he found that he was. Soon after this a six-handed game got into full swing. Dave's vexation grew steadily and passed the anger point without stopping. He was tired, and now his labors were only beginning. Two-Spot was living up to Dave's opinion of him, for he had not been much in evidence around the saloon since noon, and had not appeared at all since the Double X punchers had come in. Dave went to the front door and called, and then he went to the rear door and yelled, but received no response. Thinking that he saw a shadowy figure skulking in the darkness, he yelled again, and with no honeyed promises as the burden of his message. Glancing around in the darkness as if to penetrate it by an act of will, he shouted a threat and stamped back to the bar, slamming the door so hard that the windows shook. "Come on, Dave!" cried Dailey, cheerful in view of his ownership of the last pot. "What you so slow about?" "If he'd quit pickin' on Two-Spot," said Thompson, "an' tend to business, folks would like it better." "Anybody that don't like it can get out!" retorted Dave. "He's _never_ around when there's work to be did!" The evening passed swiftly and midnight was not far off when Dave found it necessary to draw on the contents of the new keg, and he disappeared below the bar for a few minutes. Hardly had his head passed from sight when Two-Spot, closely watching the bar, slipped quietly through the rear door and went silently to Johnny, where he poked his face close to the puncher's ear and muttered for a moment. Johnny nodded and looked over his hand again, while Two-Spot scurried for the door and safety, being silently threatened by Fanning, who thoroughly enjoyed the situation. Two-Spot looked fearfully around and closed the door behind him. He barely had time to get under the saloon when Wolf Forbes, returning from his short tour around the buildings, turned the corner of the kitchen and peered in at the window. Johnny folded his hand, pushed out the required number of chips and grunted. "I'm trailin'--but I shore wish that man would stop. He must have about thirteen aces." "I'm limpin', but I'm there," remarked Thompson. "Th' dust back here is awful." "There ain't no call for you to put on airs," growled Slim, pushing in what he was shy. "I got four kings, but you don't see _me_ quittin', do you?"