“You ain’t ready yet,” he continued. “You won’t have to go huntin’ trouble now. It’ll hunt you. You have an enemy in Shinin’ Mark, but you’ll have a worse one in Tommy Thatcher from now on. Steele’s bad, but he’s game. He’d stack up against anybody, anywhere, anytime. Thatcher’s different. You busted him horrible. He’ll get you if there’s a chance, but it won’t be on the square. You’ll need eyes in the back of your head for Tommy Thatcher. I know him better’n you do. I know of him a long time back.” “I don’t know as that makes any difference,” Robin muttered. “As for Steele,” Tex went on, unheeding the interruption, “when it comes to gun play he’s got it on you from soda to hock. He’ll rattle you first--you got a hell of a temper, kid. I see that to-day for the first time. You stew inside, and go off like dynamite. And I’ve seen enough wild west to know you can’t stack up against a cold-blooded proposition like Steele unless you’re as cool as he is. Pass it up this time. Go home. Get yourself a forty-five that fits your hand. Spend your wages on ammunition. Practice faithful till spring. Then go get him.” “Meantime,” Tex patted Robin on the shoulder, “I have a hunch what lays back of this trouble between you and Shinin’ Mark. I seen enough this last week or so, to know he meant to crowd you till you turned on him. I think I know his game. I ain’t goin’ to take this fight off your hands, Robin. But I can promise you one thing--if he gets you I’ll get _him_. And that goes for Thatcher, too.” He lit his cigarette and stood up. “I’m amblin’ along,” he announced. “You let things go as they lay. Think over what I said and do it. You’ll win.” He stalked away. Robin sat on the ties staring at the ground, his hands clasped over one knee. He appreciated Tex Matthew’s moral backing, but it did not assuage the bitterness in his heart. He had seen a man or two run amuck and die with a smoking gun in hand and he had wondered what drove a man to such desperate measures, what terrible passion made a man court death or inflict death. He knew now. It was no comfort to him that he had punished Thatcher. Thatcher didn’t count. He had played into Steele’s hand. If he were dead he could not talk about stolen calves. That was all Steele wanted, to stop his mouth or make him leave the country. If he went up against Steele now Mark would have his wish. Matthews had spoken the truth and Robin knew it. With an even break for the draw Mark would kill him before he could get his gun leveled.