The cub grinned. "I reckon it ’ll fade quick, anyhow; but it took me six months’ hard work to get it together. It ’ll last about six days, I suppose." "Six hours, if you plays every man that comes along," corrected Hopalong. "Well, mebby," admitted the cub. "Say: that was one fine girl you was talkin’ to, all right," he grinned. Hopalong studied him a moment. "Not meanin’ no offense, what’s yore name?" "Sammy Porter; why?" "Well, Sammy," remarked Hopalong as he arose. "I reckon we ’ll meet again before I leave. You was remarkin’ she was a fine girl. I admit it; she was. So long," and he started for the door. Sammy flushed. "Why, I—I didn’t mean nothin’!" he exclaimed. "I just happened to think about her—that’s all! You know, I saw you talkin’ to her. Of course, you saw her first," he explained. Hopalong turned and smiled kindly. "You didn’t say nothin’ to offend me. I was just startin’ when you spoke. But as long as you mentioned it I ’ll say that my interest in th’ lady was only brief. Her interest in me was th’ same. Beyond lettin’ you know that I ’ll add that I don’t generally discuss wimmin. I ’ll see you later," and, nodding cheerily, he went out and closed the door behind him. Hopalong leaned lazily against the hotel, out of reach of the spring wind, which was still sharp, and basked in the warmth of the timid sun. He regarded the little cow-town cynically but smilingly and found no particular fault with it. Existing because the railroad construction work of the season before had chanced to stop on the eastern bank of the deceptive creek, and because of the nearness of three drive trails, one of them important, the town had sprung up, mushroom-like, almost in a night. Facing on the square were two general stores, the railroad station and buildings, two restaurants, a dozen saloons where gambling either was the main attraction or an ambitious side-line, McCall’s place and a barber shop with a dingy, bullet-peppered red-and-white pole set close to the door. Between the barber shop and McCall’s was a narrow space, and the windows of the two buildings, while not opposite, opened on the little strip of ground separating them. Rubbing a hand across his chin he regarded the barber shop thoughtfully and finally pushed away from the sun-warmed wall of the hotel and started lazily toward the red-and-white pole. As he did so the tin-panny notes of a piano redoubled and a woman’s voice shrilly arose to a high note, flatted, broke and swiftly dropped an octave. He squirmed and looked speculatively along the westward trail, wondering how far away his outfit was and why he had not gone with them. Another soaring note that did not flat and a crashing chord from the piano were followed by a burst of uproarious, reckless laughter. Hopalong frowned, snapped his fingers in sudden decision and stepped briskly toward the barber shop as the piano began anew.