The man paused and regarded him critically. "First off, I'm goin' to get
my horse. An' then me an' you is goin' down to the depot an' you're
a-goin' to buy that there ticket. I'm a-goin' to see that you get it
ironclad an' onredeemable, I ain't got no confidence in no gambler an'
bein' as I've took a sort of likin' to you, I hate to think of you
a-walkin' clean to Montana in them high-heeled boots. After that I'm
a-goin' to start out an' examine this here town of Las Vegas lengthways,
crossways, down through the middle, an' both sides of the crick. An'
when that's off my mind, I'm a-goin' to begin on the rest of the world."
He moved his arm comprehensively and reached for the bottle.

"You wait right here till I get old Ace of Spades," he continued solemnly
when he had rasped the raw liquor from his throat. "If you ain't here
when I come back I'll swallow-fork your ears with this here gat just to
see if my shootin' eye is in practice. The last time I done any fancy
shootin' I was kind of wild--kep' a-hittin' a little to one side an' the
other--not much, only about an inch or so--but it wasn't right good
shootin'."

The half-breed grinned: "A'm stay here till you com' back. A'm fin' dat
you ma frien'. A'm lak' you, _bien_!"

When the Texan returned, fifteen minutes later, the man of many names was
gone. "It's just like I said, you can't trust no gambler," he muttered,
with a doleful nod of the head. "He's pulled out on me, but he better
not infest the usual marts of midnight. 'Cause I'm a-goin' to start out
an' take in everything that's open in this man's town, an' if I find him
I'll just nachelly show him the onprincipledness of lyin' to a friend."

Stepping to the bar he bought a drink and a moment later swung onto the