Tex thought that it was just as well, since the town was mean enough and vicious enough as it was; he remembered vividly its high-water period; but he nodded his head. "It ain’t hardly fair to judge it after such a long dry spell," he said. "Th’ whole country, south an’ west of th’ Missouri is fair burnin’ up. Th’ Big Muddy herself was a-showin’ all her bars." "That’s th’ curse of this part of Kansas," said the nephew. "That an’ job jumpers." "Yes?" asked Tex. "How’s that?" "Station agent a friend of yourn?" It became evident to Tex that the uncle and the nephew had been discussing him. Gus Williams was the only man to whom he had mentioned the agent. He shook his head. "Never saw him before I stepped off th’ train today," he answered, looking vexed about something. "We up an’ had some words, an’ I told him I reckoned he might find healthier towns further west, across th’ line. I’m a mild man, gents: but I allus speak my mind." "An’ you gave him some cussed good advice," replied the nephew warmly. "This ain’t no place for any man as plays off sick an’ does low-down tricks to turn another man out of a job. If it wasn’t for his sister I’d ’a’ buffaloed him _pronto_. Which reminds me, stranger," he warned with an ugly leer. "She’s a rip-snortin’ fe-male--but I shore saw her first. I’m just tellin’ you so you won’t get any notions that way. I’m fencin’ that range." "Don’t you worry, Hen," consoled a friend. "Yo’re able to run herd on her, balky as she is, an’ when th’ time’s ripe you’ll put yore brand on her. So fur’s th’ job’s concerned, yore uncle’ll get it back for you when he gets ready to move. We ought to ride that Saunders feller out of town, _I_ say!" "There’s plenty of time for that," said Williams, as he turned to address another diner. "John, show Mr. Jones that gray when he gits around tomorrow. Aimin’ to stay in town long, Mr. Jones?" Tex shrugged his shoulders. "Got to wait for a letter--don’t know what to do; but I shore could be in worse places than this here hotel, so I ain’t worryin’ a lot. Bein’ a stranger, though, I reckon time’ll drag a little evenin’s." Various kinds of smiles replied to this, and Williams laughed outright. "I reckon you understand th’ innercent game of draw?" he chuckled. Tex froze: "Sometimes I think I do," he said, and laughed to hide his struggle against the pressure of the old temptation. He fairly burned to turn his poker craft against this blowhard’s invitation, to wipe from that self-complacent face its look of omniscience. "An’ then, sometimes I reckon I don’t," he continued; "but I’m admittin’ she’s plumb fascinatin’. From th’ pious expressions around me I reckon mebby I’ve shocked somebody."