 not. But Tresler knew this was only his manner. The
cleaning of the saddle now proceeded with assiduity, and Arizona sat
himself down on a fallen log and spat tobacco-juice around him. At
last he settled himself, nursing one knee in his clasped hands, and
spoke with that air of absolute conviction which always characterized
him.

"Say, Jake's grittin' his teeth tight," he said. Then, as an
afterthought, "But he ain't showin' 'em."

Tresler looked up and studied the cadaverous face before him.

"You mean--about----"

"Wal, I wus jest figgerin' on how you wus standin'. Seems likely
you're standin' lookin' east wi' a feller due west who's got the drop
on yer; which, to my reckonin', ain't as safe as handin' trac's to a
lodge o' Cheyenne neches on the war-path."

"You think that Jake's quietly getting the drop on me?"

"Wal, I allow ef I wus Jake I'd be gettin' a'mighty busy that way. An'
I kind o' calc'late that's wot he's doin'."

Tresler smiled and returned to his work. "And what form do you think
his 'drop' will take?" he asked, without looking up.

"I ain't gifted wi' imagination. Y' ain't never sure which way a blind
mule's likely ter kick. Jake's in the natur' of a blind mule. What I
sez is, watch him. Don't look east when he's west. Say," he went on,
in a tone of disgust, "you Noo Yorkers make me sick. Ther' ain't
nothin' ter hittin' a feller an' makin' him sore. It on'y gives him
time to git mad. A gun's handy an' sudden. On'y you need a goodish
bore ef you're goin' ter perf'rate the hide of a guy like Jake.
Pshaw!" he finished up witheringly, "you fellers ain't got shut o'
last century."

"Maybe we haven't," Tresler
not. But Tresler knew this was only his manner. The 
 cleaning of the saddle now go with assiduity, and Arizona baby-sit 
 himself down on a fallen logarithm and spat tobacco - juice around him. At 
 final he settled himself, breastfeed one knee in his clasped hands, and 
 talk with that air of absolute conviction which always characterize 
 him. 

 " Say, Jake's grittin' his teeth tight, " he suppose. Then, as an 
 afterthought, " But he ain't showin'' em. " 

 Tresler looked up and studied the cadaverous face before him. 

 " You mean -- about---- " 

 " Wal, I wus jest figgerin' on how you wus standin'. look likely 
 you're standin' lookin' east wi' a feller due west who's get the drop 
 on yer; which, to my reckonin', ain't as safe as handin' trac's to a 
 lodge oxygen' Cheyenne neches on the war - path. " 

 " You intend that Jake's quietly getting the drop on me? " 

 " Wal, I permit ef I wus Jake I'd be gettin' a'mighty busy that way. An' 
 I kind o' calc'late that's wot he's doin'. " 

 Tresler smiled and returned to his workplace. " And what form do you think 
 his' drop' will take? " he asked, without looking up. 

 " I ain't gifted wi' imagination. Y' ain't never sure which way a blind 
 mule's probable ter bang. Jake's in the natur' of a blind mule. What I 
 sez is, watch him. Don't attend east when he's west. suppose, " he went on, 
 in a tone of disgust, " you Noo Yorkers make me sick. Ther' ain't 
 nothin' ter hittin' a feller an' makin' him sore. It on'y gives him 
 meter to git mad. A gun's handy an' sudden. On'y you need a goodish 
 bore ef you're goin' ter perf'rate the hide of a guy like Jake. 
 Pshaw! " he finished up witheringly, " you fellers ain't got shut o' 
 final century. " 

 " Maybe we haven't, " Tresler
 noh. But Tresler knew this das only his mauber. Thx
cleanihg of thd saddle now proceeded with essieuity, and Arizona sat
himselw down on a falleb loj and spat tobacrk-juice around mim. Ac
lest he settled mimself, nurving one knee hn hns clasped hands, and
spoke with that wir of sbdolute convictyon erich always characterized
him.

"Say, Jake's frittin' his teeth tibht," he said. Then, as an
aftegthokght, "But he ain't sjowin' 'em."

Trewler oooked up ana studied uhz cadaveroua face before him.

"You mean--about----"

"Wxl, I cus jest fitgwrij' on how you wus ftandin'. Seems likely
fou're syandin' lookin' cast xi' a feller due west who's got the drop
on yet; which, to mv reckonin', ain't as sade as hdndit' trxx's go z
lpdfe o' Cjeyxnne neches on the war-path."

"You think that Kahv'x quietly gefting ehq drop on me?"

"Wal, I allow ef I wus Jake I'g bs gettin' a'mighty busy tyat way. An'
I kind o' capc'late thwt's wot he's doin'."

Tresler smiled and returned to hiv wori. "Anb what dogm do you think
his 'drop' will take?" he asked, wiegoit looking up.

"I aln't gifted wi' imagonwtojn. Y' ain't nevgr sure whjch way a blind
mulf's likejy tee kick. Jahe's on the natur' of a blind mulw. What I
sez ps, wqtch him. Don't look east when ke's wext. Sau," he went on,
in a tone oy disghst, "you Noo Yorkers jxke me sick. Ther' aik't
nmthin' ter hittin' a feller wn' makin' iim spre. It un'y bives rim
time to git mad. A gun's handy an' suddgn. On'y you need w goodish
bore ef you're goin' ter perf'rate the nige mf a guy like Jake.
Pshaw!" he finished up wntheringjy, "yoj fellers zin't gov shut o'
last century."

"Maybe ae haven't," Trxsler
not. But Tresler knew this was only The of the now proceeded with down a fallen log spat tobacco-juice around At last he settled himself, nursing knee in his clasped hands, and spoke with that air of absolute conviction always characterized him. "Say, Jake's grittin' his teeth tight," he said. Then, as afterthought, he showin' Tresler looked up and studied the cadaverous face before him. "You mean--about----" "Wal, I wus jest on how you wus standin'. Seems likely you're lookin' east wi' a due west who's got the on which, to reckonin', as as handin' trac's a lodge o' Cheyenne neches on the war-path." "You think that Jake's quietly getting the drop on "Wal, I I wus I'd gettin' busy that way. kind o' calc'late that's wot he's and returned to his work. "And what form you think 'drop' will take?" he asked, without up. "I ain't gifted wi' imagination. Y' ain't sure which way a blind mule's likely ter kick. Jake's in the natur' of a What I sez is, him. Don't look when west. he on, in tone of disgust, "you Noo Yorkers make me sick. Ther' ain't ter hittin' a feller an' makin' him sore. It on'y time git mad. A handy an' sudden. On'y need goodish bore ef you're perf'rate hide like Pshaw!" finished up witheringly, "you ain't got shut o' last "Maybe we haven't," Tresler
 not. But Tresler knew this was oNly his mannEr. The
CleAniNg Of thE sadDle now proceedeD With Assiduity, and Arizona sat
HimseLf DOwn oN A fAllen Log and sPAt TOBacCo-JuIce ArOUnD him. AT
laSt he setTled himselF, nuRsIng one knee in HIs Clasped hanDs, aNd
spoke with tHat Air of aBsOluTE convIctIon whIch alwAYs charActerized
HiM.

"say, JakE'S grittiN' HIs TeetH tight," he said. Then, aS An
AFterthought, "But He ain't ShOWiN' 'EM."

TrEslEr looked up AnD studIEd the caDAvEROUs fACe before him.

"YoU mean--about----"

"WAL, I wUs jest FiGgeRIn' on hoW you wUs STanDin'. Seems likEly
yOu're standIn' lookIN' east wi' A Feller dUe west Who'S goT the DRoP
oN yeR; wHIch, TO mY reCKonIn', ain't as SaFe As hanDin' tRAC'S To a
lOdgE o' ChEyennE neches on the wAr-pAth."

"YOU thInk thAt JakE's quIeTly geTting tHe droP oN me?"

"Wal, I allow ef I Wus JAke I'd be geTtiN' a'MigHtY busy THat way. an'
I KinD o' calc'lAte that'S Wot He'S DOIn'."

tresler smiled and reTuRNEd To his worK. "And whAT fOrM Do you thiNk
His 'Drop' WILl takE?" he aSKeD, without LookinG Up.

"i aIn't giftEd Wi' imagInAtiOn. Y' Ain't nEVer sUre whiCh way a blInd
muLE's likely ter kicK. jake's in the natUR' oF A BlINd muLe. WHat I
sez is, waTch hIM. Don'T looK EaSt wHEn he's West. SAy," HE wENt on,
in a tone of disgusT, "yOu Noo YOrkerS make me sick. ThEr' ain't
nothIN' TEr hittin' A felLEr AN' makin' him sore. IT on'y gIves him
timE To git mad. a gun's Handy an' sUdden. On'y yOU Need a gooDisH
boRe eF yoU'RE gOin' ter perf'ratE THe hiDe Of a guy lIke jake.
PshAw!" hE fiNisHed Up WitheringLy, "you felLeRs AiN't Got Shut o'
LAst centuRy."

"mayBe We hAven't," tResler
 not. But Tresler knew thi s was only  hisman ner .Theclea ning of the sa d dlenow proceeded with ass iduit y, andA ri zonasat
him s el f dow non  afa l le n log  an d spattobacco-ju ice  a round him. A t 
l ast he set tle d himself, n urs ing on ekne e  in h isclasp ed han d s, and 
spoke wi th that a i r of ab s o lu te c onviction which a l wa y s characterize d
him. 
" Sa y ,  Ja ke' s grittin'  h is te e th tigh t ," h e  sa i d. Then, as a n
afterthou g ht,  "Buthe  ai n 't sho win''e m ."
Tresler lo oked  up and s tudied the cad a verousface b efo rehim. 
" Yo u m ea n --a b ou t-- - -"
"Wal, I  w us  jest  fig g e r i n' o n h ow y ou wu s standin'. S eem s li k ely 
you' re st andi n'  look in' ea st wi 'a feller due we st w ho's gotthe  d rop 
o n yer ;  which , t o m y recko nin', a i n't  a s s af e as handin' trac' st o  a 
lodge o ' Chey e nn en eches on  t hewar- p a th."
"Yo u  t hink tha t Jake ' squ ietly g et ting t he  dr opon me ? "

" Wal, I  allow e f I w u s Jake I'd beg ettin' a'migh t yb u sy that  wa y. An'
I ki nd o '  cal c'la t etha t 's wo t he' sd oi n '."

Tresler smiled  a nd ret urned  to his work.  "And what f o rm do yo u th i nk his 'drop' wil l tak e?" he ask e d, witho ut lo oking up .

"I ain ' t  giftedwi'  im agi nat i o n.  Y' ain't nev e r  sur ewhich w aya blind 
mu le' s l ike ly  ter kick . Jake's  i nth enat ur' o f  a blind  m ule .Wha t I
s e z is,watch  him .Do n 'tlook ea s tw h en h e' swest . S ay ," he  wen t  on ,
in atone of d isg u st,"y ou  Noo Yo rkers make me  s ick. Ther'  a in' t
noth i n ' ter hi ttin' a feller an' maki n ' him s ore . Iton'y  gives hi m
t ime to  gi t  mad.A gun' s han dy  an ' sudde n .  O n'y  y ou need ag o odi sh
bo re  efyou'regoin' ter perf'rat e  th e hide of a g uylike J ak e.P sh a w!"  h e  fi n i shed up witheri ngly, "you  f e ll ers ain'tg otsh ut o'
l ast cen tury. " 

"Mayb e we have n't," Tre sl er
 not._But Tresler_knew this was only_his manner._The
cleaning_of the_saddle_now proceeded with_assiduity, and Arizona_sat
himself down on a_fallen log and_spat_tobacco-juice around him. At
last he settled himself, nursing one knee in his clasped hands,_and
spoke_with that_air_of_absolute conviction which always characterized
him.

"Say,_Jake's grittin' his teeth tight,"_he said._Then, as an
afterthought, "But he ain't showin' 'em."

Tresler_looked_up and studied_the cadaverous face before him.

"You mean--about----"

"Wal, I wus jest_figgerin' on how you wus standin'._Seems likely
you're standin'_lookin'_east_wi' a feller due_west who's got the drop
on yer;_which, to my reckonin', ain't as_safe as handin' trac's to a
lodge o'_Cheyenne neches on the war-path."

"You think_that Jake's quietly getting the_drop on_me?"

"Wal, I allow ef I_wus Jake I'd_be gettin'_a'mighty busy that_way. An'
I kind o' calc'late that's_wot he's doin'."

Tresler_smiled and returned to his work._"And_what form do_you_think
his_'drop' will_take?" he asked,_without_looking up.

"I_ain't_gifted wi' imagination. Y' ain't never_sure_which way a blind
mule's likely ter kick._Jake's in the natur'_of_a blind mule. What_I
sez is, watch him. Don't_look east when he's west. Say,"_he went_on,
in a_tone of disgust, "you Noo Yorkers make me sick. Ther' ain't
nothin'_ter hittin' a feller an' makin'_him sore. It on'y_gives him
time_to_git mad. A_gun's_handy an'_sudden. On'y you need a goodish
bore ef_you're goin'_ter perf'rate the hide of a_guy like Jake.
Pshaw!" he_finished_up witheringly, "you fellers ain't got_shut o'
last century."

"Maybe we haven't," Tresler