"These cigars," explained the cub, ruefully. "I was just sayin' there
ain't a good one in town."
"You lose," replied Hopalong. "Are you shore you knows a good cigar
when you smokes it?"
"I know it so well that I ain't found one since I left Kansas City. You
said I lose. Do you know one well enough to be a judge?"
Hopalong reached to his vest pocket, extracted a cigar and handed it to
the cub, who took it hesitatingly. "Why, I'm much obliged. I--I did
n't mean that--you know."
Hopalong nodded and rearranged the cigar's twin-brothers in his pocket.
He would be relieved when they were smoked, for they made him nervous
with their frailty. The cub lighted the cigar and an unaffected grin of
delight wreathed his features as the smoke issued from his nostrils.
"Who sells 'em?" he demanded, excitedly.
"Corson an' Lukins, up th' hill from th' depot," answered Hopalong.
"Like it?"
"Like it! Why, stranger, I used to spend most of my week's pocket money
for these." He paused and stared at the smiling puncher. "Did you say
Corson an' Lukins?" he demanded incredulously. "Well, I 'll be hanged!
When was you there?"
"Last week. Here, bartender; liquor for all hands."
The cub touched the glass to his lips and waved his hand at a table.
Seated across from the stranger with the heaven-sent cigars he ordered
the second round, and when he went to pay for it he drew out a big roll
of bills and peeled off the one on the outside.
Hopalong frowned. "Sonny," he said in a low voice, "it ain't none of my
affair, but you oughta put that wad away an' forget you have it when out
in public. You shouldn't tempt yore feller men like that."
The cub laughed: "Oh, I had my eye teeth cut long ago. Play a little
game?"
Hopalong was amused. "Didn't I just tell you not to tempt yore feller
men?"
The cub grinned. "I reckon it 'll fade quick, anyhow; but it took me
six months' hard work to get it together. It 'll last about six days, I
suppose."
"Six hours, if you plays every man that comes along," corrected
Hopalong.
"Well, mebby," admitted the cub. "Say: that was one fine girl you was
talkin' to, all right," he grinned.
Hopalong studied him a moment. "Not meanin' no offense, what's yore
name?"
"Sammy Porter; why?"
"Well, Sammy," remarked Hopalong as he arose. "I reckon we 'll meet
again before I leave. You was remarkin' she was a fine girl. I admit
it; she was. So long," and he started for the door.
Sammy flushed. "Why, I--I didn't mean nothin'!" he exclaimed. "I just
happened to think about her--that's all! You know, I saw you talkin' to
her. Of course, you saw her first," he explained.
Hopalong turned and smiled kindly. "You didn't say nothin' to offend
me. I was just startin' when you spoke. But as long as you mentioned
it I 'll say that my interest in th' lady was only brief. Her interest
in me was th' same. Beyond lettin' you know that I 'll add that I don't
generally discuss wimmin. I 'll see you later," and, nodding cheerily,
he went out and closed the door behind him.
Hopalong leaned lazily against the hotel, out of reach of the spring
wind, which was still sharp, and basked in the warmth of the timid sun.
He regarded the little cow-town cynically but smilingly and found no
particular fault with it. Existing because the railroad construction
work of the season before had chanced to stop on the eastern bank of the
deceptive creek, and because of the nearness of three drive trails, one
of them important, the town had sprung up, mushroom-like, almost in a
night. Facing on the square were two general stores, the railroad
station and buildings, two restaurants, a dozen saloons where gambling
either was the main attraction or an ambitious side-line, McCall's place
and a barber shop with a dingy, bullet-peppered red-and-white pole set
close to the door. Between the barber shop and McCall's was a narrow
space, and the windows of the two buildings, while not opposite, opened
on the little strip of ground separating them.
Rubbing a hand across his chin he regarded the barber shop thoughtfully
and finally pushed away from the sun-warmed wall of the hotel and
started lazily toward the red-and-white pole. As he did so the
tin-panny notes of a piano redoubled and a woman's voice shrilly arose
to a high note, flatted, broke and swiftly dropped an octave. He
squirmed and looked speculatively along the westward trail, wondering
how far away his outfit was and why he had not gone with them. Another
soaring note that did not flat and a crashing chord from the piano were
followed by a burst of uproarious, reckless laughter. Hopalong frowned,
snapped his fingers in sudden decision and stepped briskly toward the
barber shop as the piano began anew.
Entering quietly and closing the door softly, he glanced appraisingly
through the windows and made known his wants in a low voice. "I want a
shave, haircut, shampoo, an' anythin' else you can think of. I 'm tired
an' don't want to talk. Take yore own time an' do a good job; an' if I
'm asleep when yo're through, don't wake me till somebody else wants th'
chair. Savvy? All right--start in."
In McCall's a stolid bartender listened to the snatches of conversation
that filtered under the door to the dance hall alongside and on his face
there at times flickered the suggestion of a cynical smile. A heavy,
dark complexioned man entered from the street and glanced at the closed
door of the dance hall. The bartender nodded and held up a staying
hand, after which he shoved a drink across the bar. The heavy-set man
carefully wiped a few drops of spilled liquor from his white, tapering
hands and seated himself with a sigh of relief, and became busy with his
thoughts until the time should come when he would be needed.
On the other side of that door a little comedy was being enacted. The
musician, a woman, toyed with the keys of the warped and scratched
piano, the dim light from the shaded windows mercifully hiding the paint
and the hardness of her face and helping the jewelry, with which her
hands were covered, keep its tawdry secret.
"I don't see what makes you so touchy," grumbled Sammy in a pout. "I
ain't goin' to hurt you if I touch yore arm." He was flushed and there
was a suspicious unsteadiness in his voice.