"Well, mebby," replied Tex. "Better make her th’ best two out of three. I might have bad luck th’ first hand." Williams’ disgust was obvious and a snicker ran through the room. "I wouldn’t play that long for a miserable sum like that ag’in’ a stranger. One hand, draw poker, my roan ag’in’ yore one-fifty. Put up, or shut up!" "All right," reluctantly acquiesced Tex. "We allus used to make it two out of three up my way; but I may be lucky. After you get through--I ain’t in no hurry." Williams laughed contemptuously: "You shore don’t have to say so!" He smiled at his grinning companions and resumed his play. Tex dropped into the seat next to the sneering nephew, from where he could watch the gun-fighter. Bud’s expression duplicated that of his boss and he paid but little attention to the wordy fool who was timid about playing poker for a horse. "Hot, ain’t it?" said Tex pleasantly. "Hot, an’ close." "Some folks find it so; reckon mebby it is," answered the nephew. "What did you people talk about at supper?" he asked. "Hens," answered Tex, grinning. "She’s got a dozen. You’d think they was rubies, she’s that stuck up about ’em. Kind of high-toned, ain’t she?" The nephew laughed sneeringly. "She’ll lose that," he promised. "I don’t aim to be put off much longer." "Mebby yo’re callin’ too steady," suggested Tex. "Sometimes that gives ’em th’ idea they own a man. You don’t want to let ’em feel too shore of you." Henry Williams shifted a little. "No," he replied; "I ain’t callin’ too often. In fact, I ain’t done no callin’ at all, yet. I’ve sort of run acrost her on th’ right-of-way, an’ watched her a little. I get a little bit scary, somehow--just can’t explain it. But I aim to call at th’ house, for I’m shore gettin’ tired of ridin’ wide." "Ain’t they smart, though?" chuckled Tex; "holdin’ back an’ actin’ skittish. I cured a gal of that, once; but I don’t reckon you can do it. It takes a lot of nerve an’ will-power. You feel like playin’ show-downs, two-bits a game?" "Make it a dollar, an’ I will. How’d you cure that one of yourn?" "Dollar’s purty steep," objected Tex. "Make it a half." He leaned back and laughed reminiscently. "I worked a system on her. Lemme deal first?" "Suit yourself. Turn ’em face up--it’ll save time. What did you do?" "Made her think I didn’t care a snap about her. Want to cut? Well, I didn’t know--some don’t want to," he explained. "Saves time, that’s all. Reckon it’s yore pot on that queen. Deal ’em up." "How’d you do it? snub her?" "Gosh, no! Don’t you ever do that: it makes ’em mad. Just let ’em alone--sort of look at ’em without seein’ ’em real well. You dassn’t make ’em mad! You win ag’in. Yo’re lucky at this game: want to quit?" "Give you a chance to get it back," sneered the nephew. "Think it would work with her?" "Don’t know: she got any other beaux?"