He had been drinking and was in his shirt-sleeves. As Skinny and the Ramblin' Kid stepped into the pool-room Sabota glanced around. For an instant he eyed the Ramblin' Kid keenly while a nasty sneer curled his lips. As they approached he turned the grin into a hypocritical smile of welcome. The Ramblin' Kid barely noticed the Greek and passed on to where the card game was in progress. Skinny paused and said something in a low tone to Sabota. The two walked to the rear end of the bar where the proprietor of the place in turn spoke to Red and the latter furtively handed a pint bottle to the cowboy and which he dropped into the bosom of his flannel shirt. The Ramblin' Kid was recognized by the cowboys from the Purgatory. "Come on and get into the game!" one of them invited, moving over. "Yes," Henderson added, hitching his own chair to one side to make room for another, "the cards are running like"--he paused--"like the Gold Dust maverick for everybody but the house!" There was a laugh at the subtle reference to the outlaw filly that had cost Sabota so much in losses on the sweepstakes at the Rodeo. The Greek scowled. "In that case," the Ramblin' Kid drawled, "I reckon I'll ride 'em a few rounds!" dropping into the chair he had dragged forward and which placed him with his back toward the bar. "What they costin' a stack?" he questioned, reaching to the left breast pocket of his shirt for a roll of bills. In the same pocket was the pink satin garter Carolyn June had lost the morning of his first meeting with her at the circular corral. "Five bones!" Jeff answered languidly. "Well, give me a couple of piles," the Ramblin' Kid replied, glancing around at the cowboy sitting at his right, who had invited him into the game. "How's the Purgatory?" As the bills came from the Ramblin' Kid's pocket the silver butterfly clasp of the garter caught in the paper currency and the elastic band was drawn out and dropped, at the side of his chair, on the floor next to Sabota. The Greek and Skinny saw, at the same time, the dainty satin ribbon. Sabota stepped quickly forward and with the toe of his shoe kicked the garter toward the bar, where all could see it. "Look what th' Ramblin' Kid's been carrying!" he exclaimed with a coarse laugh. "Some size garter, that!" And guessing at random that it had belonged to Carolyn June, he added: "Old Heck's niece must be--damned convenient and accommodating!"