The startled room turned to the door. There were nudges and whispers. Talking ceased. There had been a dozen noisy conversations besides the one recorded. "Reading tracks is harder to learn than Greek, and more interesting," said Charlie. "Cattlemen have always had to read sign, and they've always had to read it right--ever since they was six years old. What you begin learning at six years old is the only thing you ever learn good. So cowmen don't just look and talk. They see and think." He moved easily across the room in a vast silence. Caney's eyes met those of the Merman barkeeper. The Merman's bloodless and sinister face made no change, but he made a change in the order. "Step up, Mr. See," said the Merman. "This one's on me. What will it be?" "Beer," said Charlie. He nodded to the crowd. "Howdy, boys! Hello, Shaky--that you?" He lined up beside Shaky; he noted sly sidelong glances and furtive faces reflected in the blistered mirror behind the bar. "Sure is. Play you a game of pool--what?" "All set?" demanded Caney from the other end of the bar. "Drink her down, fellers! Here's to the gallows tree!" "Looks like a good season for fruit," said Charlie. A miner laughed. Shaky drained his glass. "Come on, pool shark." He hooked his arm in Charlie's and they went back to the big hall. Part of the crowd drifted after them. There was only one pool table, just beyond the door. Down one side were ranged tables for monte, faro, senate and stud. On the other side the bar extended beyond the partition and took up twenty feet of the hall, opposite the pool table. On the end of the bar were ranged generous platters of free lunch--shrimps, pretzels, strips of toasted bread, sausages, mustard, pickles, olives, crackers and cheese. Behind it was a large quick-lunch oil stove, darkened now. Beyond that was a vast oak refrigerator with a high ornamental top reaching almost to the ceiling. Next in order was a crap table and another for seven-and-a-half. A big heater, unused now, shared the central space with the pool table. Between these last two was a small table littered with papers and magazines. Two or three men sat there reading. "Pretty quiet to-night?" said Charlie, nodding his chin at the sheeted games. "Yes. Halfway between pay days. Don't pay to start up," said Shaky carelessly. "At that, it is quieter than usual to-night." They played golf pool. "It is not true that everyone who plays golf pool goes goopy," remarked Charlie at the end of the first game. "All crazy men play golf pool, of course. But that is not quite the same thing, I hope. Beware of hasty deductions--as the bank examiner told the cashier. Let's play rotation." Jody Weir stuck his head through the doorway. "Hey, you! I'm buying. Come have a drink!"