An' Slade ain't the man to
let things go halfway. Them boys from the other outfits bested him, all
right. But Slade will be back--you'll see. An' when he comes we'll be
squarin' things with him--an' don't you forget it!"
* * * * *
It was after Lawler had been occupying the cabin for a month that
Metcalf made his second visit. He rode down the slope of the valley on a
horse he had hired at Willets, and came upon Lawler, who was standing at
the corral gates, looking across the enclosure at the workmen who were
bustling about the ranchhouse.
Metcalf regarded Lawler critically before he dismounted; and then he
came forward, shook Lawler's hand and again looked him over.
"A little thin and peaked; but otherwise all right, eh?" he smiled.
"It's hard to kill you denizens of the sagebrush."
He followed Lawler into the shade of the cabin, remarked to Mrs. Lawler
that her son would need someone to guard him--if he persisted in meeting
outlaws of the Antrim type single-handed; and then turned to
Lawler--after Mrs. Lawler had gone inside--and said lowly:
"Lord, man! you've got this state raving over you! Your fight against
the ring is talked about in every corner of the country. And that scrap
with Antrim, Selden, and Krell in the old Dickman cabin will go down in
history--it will be a classic! What made you rush in on Antrim that
way--giving him the first shot?"
Lawler smiled faintly.
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