He weighed her words and a grin slowly crept across his face. "Why, I reckon you called it, that time, Annie. That’s th’ way I ’ll try first, anyhow, Li’l Girl. Where is this good friend of yourn that steals yore money? Where is this feller?" As if in answer to his inquiry the heavy-set man strolled in, humming cheerily. And as he did so the sleepy occupant of the barber’s chair slowly awoke, rubbed his eyes, stretched luxuriously and, paying his bill, loafed out and lazily sauntered down the street, swearing softly. "Why, here he is now," laughed the woman. "You must ’a’ heard us talkin’ about you, Jim. I’m goin’ to get my money back—this is Mr. Porter, Jim, who ’s goin’ to do it." The gambler smiled and held out his hand. "Howd’y, Mr. Porter," he said. Sammy glared at him: "Put yore paw down," he said, thickly. "I ain’t shakin’ han’s with no dogs or tin-horns." The gambler recoiled and flushed, fighting hard to repress his anger. "What you mean?" he growled, furiously. "What I said. If you want revenge sit down there an’ play, if you ’ve got th’ nerve to play with a man. I never let no coyote steal a woman’s money, an’ I ’m goin’ to get Annie her twenty. Savvy?" The gambler’s reply was a snarl. "Play!" he sneered. "I’ll play, all right. It’ll take more ’n a sassy kid to get that money back, too. I ’m goin’ to take yore last red cent. You can’t talk to me like that an’ get it over. An’ don’t let me hear you call her ’Annie’ no more, neither. Yo ’re too cussed familiar!" Her hand on Sammy’s arm stopped the draw and he let the gun drop back into the holster. "_No!_" she whispered. "Make a fool of him, Sammy! Beat him at his own game." Sammy nodded and scowled blackly. "I call th’ names as suits me," he retorted. "When I see you on th’ street I ’m goin’ to call you some that I ’m savin’ up now because a lady ’s present. They ’re hefty, too." At first he won, but always small amounts. Becoming reckless, he plunged heavily on a fair hand and lost. He plunged again on a better hand and lost. Then he steadied as much as his befuddled brain would permit and played a careful game, winning a small pot. Another small winning destroyed his caution and he plunged again, losing heavily. Steadying himself once more he began a new deal with excess caution and was bluffed out of the pot, the gambler sneeringly showing his cards as he threw them down. Sammy glanced around to say something to the woman, but found she had gone. "Aw, never mind her!" growled his opponent. "She ’ll be back—she can’t stay away from a kid like you."