Then it was Mike’s turn to treat, and he, too, gave Morris the alternative of drinking or dying. The poor shoemaker drank, but protested: “I’m afrait I’ll die if I don’t, und I’m afrait I’ll die if I do--so here she goes!” Then he clapped his hands to his breast, saying: “Oh, I know I vill die. Und I’m not insured. Vot vill Loney do?” “The drinks are on me, gentlemen,” said Snakes, who knew how to make himself popular by a great display of generosity. Morris tried to beg off this time, but to no avail. In their idea of having fun with a tenderfoot they had no mercy, and the same cold arguments were placed at his head, while Red Eagle looked at the man who had to be forced to drink. The unaccustomed liquor began to overcome the poor shoemaker, taken, as it had been, upon a very empty stomach. He grew reckless and, drawing two of his pistols, said, somewhat unsteadily: “Dot’s not so bad, after all. Maype you fellows take von off me, ain’t it?” Then he tried, unsteadily, to point the pistols at the heads of the two nearest him, while all the men laughed noisily. “Bully boy!” said Shoshone. “He is beginning to wake up. Set ’em up again.” “Yes; set ’em up, Snakes,” said Morris, thickly. “I don’t vant snakes now, but I’ll get ’em soon enough.” Dan and Mike had now wearied of the nonsense, and went to the table farthest from the bar and sat down. Shoshone looked at Morris a moment and said: “Say, pardner, you can’t fool me. I know you. Don’t come around here trying to play the innocent on us. You are Alkali Ike from the Bad Lands.” “Alcohol Ike--I don’t----” “Yes, I remember when you killed those six men, shot a Mexican and stole their horses and cattle!” “Oh, yes; oh, yes--oh, vot a liar!” “Yes, you did--you did--you know you did!” “Oh, yes,” said Morris, seeing that he was expected to agree to everything the man said; “but don’t say it so loud. Dem oders might pelief it.” “And you know you stole that ranchman’s wife and took her to Cheyenne.” “I--I--stole a man’s vife. Vich von?” “Great snakes! Do you mean to say there was another--maybe more. Oh, my--oh, my!” “Dit I take her on de cars or on a ship?” “I don’t know that, but you got there, all right, all right. Say, pardner, I’ve got a little job on. There’s a geezer upstairs just loaded with gold, so much that it tires him all over to carry it. I’ve got a hunch that we could get it all without the least trouble. What say?” “Do you mean to rob him?” “That’s about the size of it!” “Vell, you can count me out.” “Ah, bah! you are poor, I can see that; and it’s dead easy----” “It’s deader easier to be honest, and don’t you forget it. Come, you are a decent feller, dough you don’t treat strangers too goot. I dell you vot I do: I teach you de telegraphers’ peezness. It don’t make so much money as teifs do, but it is honest.” “Telegraphy? You an operator?” “Sure. I learnt dot, but ven I got marrit I gif it up. But vonce you know it, you always know it----”