Then Brazos took asecond look at him, and felt
remorse gnaw at his own heart. He let go of thechair with his right hand and drew
his gun.
Brazoss bullet had penetrated the calf of his leg.
I see thet now, replied Brazos strangely. Dancin with old maids, doin the elegant
with the wives and mothers,makin a waiter oot of myself.
A rending pang in Brazos yielded to leaping fire.
And with that Brazoss thirsty lipsclosed hers and he spent his ardour in long,
lingering kisses. One of hiscomrades accompanied him, a lean man in his shirt
sleeves. Thirst for adventure and even for romance had been effectuallykilled. Itll
be forty-five in less n a week,an goin up. He says yure not keen on hiscombine an
the big herd. They could nottell whether he was in jest or earnest. There was a fate
that waited upon evil men. Well, thats no great concern of mine Youre one of these
even-breakgunmen, so I cant arrest you. Im afraid to tell you Brazos, but they say
youre playin hell withthe twins, replied Sain huskily. Yu businessmen an yustrangers
all know Bodkin now for what he was. The laden tables slid and tumbled with a crash,
overturning Bodkin andhalf covering his burly form. Hank Bilyen joined them at this
juncture.
Caint you make no better standbefore yore guests?
She said she knew yud ride down into Texas an she wanted meto undertake to find
yu.
An whats this gunslinger Knight roarin aboot?
Bodkinsgun boomed so close afterward that the two shots seemed simultaneous. Brazoss
voice sounded faint in his thrumming ears.
Doan halted at the end of a corridor, which opened
into a green andflowery patio.
Last time I was heah Islept on the counter oot
there. Brazos smiledscornfully at the folly and blind arrogance of a man who packed
his gunlike that. He says yure not keen on hiscombine an the big herd.