It was not observed, however, that any of those in the barroom made any strenuous effort to avoid his invitation to partake of such refreshment as Sam had in readiness. It was therefore to be fairly inferred that time had mellowed the resentment which Mr. Wharton’s violent action had originally provoked. Perhaps no clearer statement of the actual condition of public sentiment could be made than that which Stumpy put in words, speaking to Gallagher, as they returned to their work on the landing after they had followed the crowd into the barroom. “I do be thinkin’ this here Wharton ’ud be betther loiked,” he said, “av he’d shtop some place where they knowed less about him. Av he shtays here, belike there’ll be doin’s.” “Maybe,” said Gallagher, “but I reckon there’s them here that’ll kape him from too much killin’, an’ the most o’ the houses is nailed down.” “Shure, it’s not the likes o’ that I’m thinkin’. ’Tain’t likely he’ll steal the town, nor yet the river,” returned Stumpy, somewhat nettled at the other’s indifference, “but he’s not the koind o’ man I loike to see. “Shure, he’s a gambler, an’ he’s too almighty free with his gun, I’m thinkin’. He’ll carry away the money that belongs in the town, an’ av there’s anny row--an’ belike there will be if Long Mike sits in wid him, it’s not fightin’ wid fists we’ll see, but a shootin’ scrape. “Shure, I don’t mind a bit o’ a shindy, or a sociable game o’ dhraw-poker, but thim kind is the wrong cattle to play wid.” “We’ll see,” said Gallagher, shortly, as he turned to his work. He was an enthusiastic gambler himself, though a most unlucky one, and the notion of playing with a professional had no terrors for him. Moreover, the scent of a battle, even afar, was sweeter to him than newmown hay. Stumpy, however, though by no means averse to excitement of any kind, was more conservative and had his forebodings. Later in the evening, after the _Creole Belle_ had discharged her freight and taken on that which was waiting for her, and had gone on down the Mississippi, leaving Mr. Wharton still in the barroom, it appeared altogether probable that some, at least, of these forebodings would be justified. Sam had been kept tolerably busy in the meantime, Mr. Wharton having realized what was expected of him as a stranger, and being evidently disposed to fulfil his obligations. Possibly in consequence of this the crowd around him, when Brownsville resumed its normal inactivity after the departure of the boat, was conversationally disposed. Not less than four persons were talking at once, most of the time, and though Mr. Wharton did comparatively little talking and did not appear to have taken enough red liquor to affect his nerves in the least, it was noticeable that he was doing all he could to promote the general hilarity.