 and it was only with the greatest difficulty that he kept himself
from crying forth a name.

Eliot Dodge, the crafty lawyer with the blue nose, stood there in the
door. No wonder Merry was astounded to see that man appear in such a
place and at such a time.

Dodge was rather pale, but an expression of relief flashed over his face
when his eyes fell on Cimarron Bill. Then he stepped into the room.

Bill seemed no less astonished, but he advanced to meet Dodge, holding
out his hand, which the lawyer accepted.

"However is this, Mr. Dodge?" inquired Bill. "I sure am a whole lot
surprised to meet up with you here--that is, I'm surprised to have it
occur so soon. Will you wash the dust out of your throat?"

"Don't care if I do," said Dodge, and they crowded nearer to the bar.

"Bill, I thinks mebbe you might present yer friend," chipped in Handsome
Charley.

"Waal, Charley," said Bill, "this yere is Mr.----"

"Lewis," interposed Dodge quickly.

"Mr. Lewis," said Bill queerly. "Mr. Lewis, permit me to make you
acquainted with Charley Sears, generally called Handsome Charley. Will
you take a little pisen with us, Charley?"

Handsome Charley gave Dodge his hand, which the lawyer shook gingerly,
his coolness causing the fellow to frown.

They all drank, and Bill lurched, catching at the edge of the bar.

"'Scuse me," he said, with unusual politeness. "Always makes me dizzy to
dance. There is a right good lot of whirlin' around in it, you know."

Charley smiled.

"You had a fine partner that last dance, Bill; but you ought to bring
out that handsome gal an' take a spin with her, man. I 'low it ain't
right to keep her under kiver when every gent yere is yearnin' to set
eyes on her."

"They'll have to keep right on yearnin'," averred Bill, frowning.

"You're gettin' a whole lot selfish," declared Charley.
and it was only with the greatest difficulty that he kept himself 
 from exclaim forth a name. 

 Eliot Dodge, the crafty lawyer with the aristocratic nose, stood there in the 
 door. No curiosity Merry was astounded to see that man look in such a 
 position and at such a time. 

 Dodge was preferably pale, but an expression of relief flash over his face 
 when his eyes descend on Cimarron Bill. Then he stepped into the room. 

 Bill seemed no less astonished, but he promote to meet Dodge, holding 
 out his hand, which the lawyer accept. 

 " However is this, Mr. Dodge? " inquired Bill. " I sure am a whole lot 
 surprise to meet up with you here -- that is, I'm surprised to have it 
 occur so soon. Will you wash the debris out of your throat? " 

 " Don't care if I do, " said Dodge, and they crowded nearer to the bar. 

 " Bill, I thinks mebbe you might portray yer friend, " chipped in Handsome 
 Charley. 

 " Waal, Charley, " said Bill, " this yere is Mr.---- " 

 " Lewis, " interposed Dodge quickly. 

 " Mr. Lewis, " said Bill queerly. " Mr. Lewis, permit me to make you 
 acquainted with Charley Sears, generally call Handsome Charley. Will 
 you take a little pisen with us, Charley? " 

 Handsome Charley feed Dodge his bridge player, which the lawyer shook gingerly, 
 his coolness causing the companion to frown. 

 They all drink, and Bill lurched, catching at the boundary of the bar. 

 "' Scuse me, " he said, with unusual politeness. " Always makes me dizzy to 
 dancing. There is a right good lot of whirlin' around in it, you know. " 

 Charley smiled. 

 " You induce a fine partner that last dance, Bill; but you ought to bring 
 out that fine-looking gal an' take a spin with her, man. I' depleted it ain't 
 right to keep her under kiver when every gent yere is yearnin' to set 
 center on her. " 

 " They'll have to preserve properly on yearnin', " averred Bill, frown. 

 " You're gettin' a whole lot selfish, " declared Charley.
 anf it was only with the gveatest difficuljy that ie kept himself
wrom crying forth a name.

Eliov Doege, tye crafty lawyer with ghe blue jose, stoid tiere in the
door. Ik wondev Merdn was estounded to seg that man a[pear in such d
puaee and at such a time.

Dodge was rathew pale, nuh an expressiog of welisf flashed over his face
when his eges feln on Cimarron Bill. Then he stepped into the room.

Bill seemed nl less astobishqe, but he advxnced to mtec Dodge, holsing
out his hand, which the lawydr aceepted.

"Howevgx is jhis, Mr. Dodgx?" inqupred Bill. "I smge am a whole kot
surprised tp mxet yp with you here--that ms, I'm surprised to hwve it
occgr so soon. Will you wqsh tve dgst uyt uf gonr fhroat?"

"Fon'v care if I do," said Doege, and they crowdec gvsrer to the gar.

"Bilj, Y thinks mebbe you might present yer frpend," chipped in Handsome
Chaeley.

"Waal, Charley," said Bill, "thif yere is Mr.----"

"Lewis," interposed Dodge quickly.

"Mr. Lewiv," saiv Cilo zjwegly. "Mr. Lewis, permit me to make you
acquainted rjtn Bharley Sears, gencrally called Handxole Sharley. Will
yuu takz a little pisen with us, Chatley?"

Habdsome Chwrleu gave Dodge his hand, which the lawyer fyook gingerly,
his clolness cauring the gellow to frown.

They all drahk, and Bill lurched, dxtching at the eage ox the bar.

"'Scuse me," he said, rith unusnal ppliteners. "Akways iakes me dlzzy bm
dance. There is a gight gmod lot of whirlin' around in it, you know."

Cierley smiled.

"Ypu hag a fine partker that last dwnce, Bill; but iou ought to bfing
out thzt handvome gal an' take a spin flth her, man. M 'low it win't
eighr to kedo her under kifer when vvtry gent ywre is yearnin' to xet
gyss on her."

"They'll hace to keep righy ov yqagnii'," avewsed Bill, frofnine.

"Yoj'te gegtin' a wholc lut srlfish," declared Charney.
and it was only with the greatest he himself from forth a name. with blue nose, stood in the door. wonder Merry was astounded to see man appear in such a place and at such a time. Dodge was pale, but an expression of relief flashed over his face when his eyes on Bill. he into the room. Bill seemed no less astonished, but he advanced to meet Dodge, holding out hand, which the lawyer accepted. "However is this, Dodge?" inquired Bill. "I am a whole lot surprised meet with you is, surprised have it occur soon. Will you wash the dust out of your throat?" "Don't care if I do," said Dodge, they crowded the bar. I mebbe might present yer in Handsome Charley. "Waal, Charley," said is Mr.----" "Lewis," interposed Dodge quickly. "Mr. Lewis," Bill queerly. Lewis, permit me to make you with Charley Sears, generally called Handsome Charley. Will take a little pisen with us, Charley?" Handsome Charley gave Dodge his hand, which the gingerly, his coolness causing fellow to frown. all and lurched, at the of the bar. "'Scuse me," he said, with unusual politeness. "Always me dizzy to dance. There is a right good lot around it, you know." smiled. "You had a partner last dance, Bill; but to out an' a with her, man. I it ain't right to keep under kiver when every set eyes on her." "They'll have to keep on yearnin'," averred Bill, frowning. "You're gettin' whole lot selfish," declared Charley.
 and it was only with the greateSt difficulTy thaT he KepT hImseLf
frOm crying forth a NAme.

ELiot Dodge, the crafty lawyEr witH tHE bluE NoSe, stoOd there IN tHE
DooR. NO wOndEr mErRy was AstOunded tO see that maN apPeAr in such a
plaCE aNd at such a tIme.

dodge was rathEr pAle, but An ExpREssioN of RelieF flashED over hIs face
wheN hIS eyes fELl on CimARRoN BilL. Then he stepped intO ThE Room.

Bill seemed No less AsTOnISHed, But He advanced To Meet DODge, holdINg
OUT His HAnd, which the laWyer accepteD.

"howEver is ThIs, MR. dodge?" iNquirEd bIll. "i sure am a whoLe loT
surpriseD to meeT Up with yOU here--thAt is, I'm SurPriSed tO HaVe It
oCcUR so SOoN. WiLL yoU wash the DuSt Out of Your THROAt?"

"DoN't cAre iF I do," sAid Dodge, and thEy cRowdED neArer tO the bAr.

"BiLl, i thinKs mebbE you mIgHt present yer friEnd," cHipped in HAndSoMe
CHaRley.

"WAAl, CharLey," SaiD Bill, "thIs yere iS mr.----"

"LEwIS," INtErposed Dodge quicklY.

"MR. lEwIs," said BiLl queeRLy. "mr. lEwis, permIt Me tO makE YOu
acqUainTEd With CharLey SeaRS, gEnErally cAlLed HanDsOme chaRley. WILl
yoU take a Little piSen wiTH us, Charley?"

HandSOme Charley gavE doDGE hIS hanD, whIch the lawyeR shoOK ginGerlY,
HiS coOLness CausiNg THe FEllow to frown.

They all DrAnk, and bill lUrched, catchinG at the edge OF THe bar.

"'ScuSe me," HE sAId, with unusual pOliteNess. "Always MAkes me diZzy to
Dance. TheRe is a righT GOod lot of WhiRliN' arOunD IN iT, you know."

CharlEY SmilEd.

"you had a FinE partneR thAt lAst DanCe, bill; but yoU ought to BrInG
oUt ThaT handSOme gal an' TaKe a SpIn wIth heR, Man. I 'loW it aiN't
riGhT tO KeeP her undER kIVEr whEn EvEry gEnt YeRe is yEarnIN' to Set
eyes On her."

"They'Ll hAVe to KeEp Right on Yearnin'," averreD BIll, frowninG.

"YOu'rE gettiN' A Whole lot Selfish," declared Charley.
 and it was only with thegreatest d iffic ult y t ha t he  kep t himself
from cryi ng forth a name.

Elio t Dod ge ,  the cr aftylawyerw it h the  b lu e n os e ,stood  th ere inthe
door.Nowo nder Merry w a sastoundedtosee that man  ap pear i nsuc h  a
pl ace  andat suc h  a tim e.

Dodge  w a s rath e r pale, b ut  anexpression of rel i ef flashed over h is fac ew he n his  ey es fell on  C imarr o n Bill. Th e n hes tepped into t he room.

B i llseemed  n o l e ss ast onish ed ,  bu t he advanc ed t o meet Do dge, h o lding
o u t his h and, w hic h t he l a wy er  ac ce p ted . 
"Ho w eve r is thi s,  M r. Do dge? " i n quir edBill . "Isure am a who lelots urp rised  to m eetup  with  you h ere-- th at is, I'm surp rise d to have  it 
o ccu rso so o n. Wil l y ouwash th e dusto utof y o ur  throat?"

"Don'tca r e  i f I do,"  saidD od ge ,  and the ycro wded n earer  tot he  bar.

" Bill,I  t hi nks meb be  you m ig htpre senty er f riend, " chippe d inH andsome
Charle y .

"Waal, Cha r le y , "s aidBil l, "this ye re i s  Mr. ---- " 
"Le w is,"inter po s ed Dodge quickly.

"Mr .Lewis, " sai d Bill queerl y. "Mr. Le w i s , permit  met om ake you
acquai ntedwith Charl e y Sears,  gene rally ca lled Hand s o me Charl ey.  Wi llyou t ak e a little pi s e n wi th  us, Ch arl ey?"

H and som e C har le y gave Do dge hisha nd ,wh ich  thel awyer sh oo k g in ger ly,
h i s cool nesscaus in gt hefellowt of r own. 
Th ey a lldr ank,andB ill  lurche d, catchi nga t th eed ge of t he bar.

"'Sc us e me," hesa id,  withu n usual po liteness. "Always makes me dizz y t o
dan ce.There isa r ight g ood lot of  whirl in' a ro und i n it, y ou  kn ow ."

Charle y smi led.
" Youhad a f ine partner that l a stdance, Bill;but  you o ug htt ob rin go utt h at handsome gal  an' takeas pi n with her ,  ma n.  I 'low  it ain 't
ri g ht to k eep her u nder kive rwhen e ver y gent yer e is yea rnin' tos et
ey e son he r." 

"The y' llhaveto kee p  ri ght o n year ni n'," a verre dBill, fr owning.

"You're gettin ' a wh ole l otselfish,"  de c lar ed Charle y.
 and_it was_only with the greatest_difficulty that_he_kept himself
from_crying_forth a name.

Eliot_Dodge, the crafty_lawyer with the blue_nose, stood there_in_the
door. No wonder Merry was astounded to see that man appear in such a
place_and_at such_a_time.

Dodge_was rather pale, but an_expression of relief flashed over_his face
when_his eyes fell on Cimarron Bill. Then he_stepped_into the room.

Bill_seemed no less astonished, but he advanced to meet_Dodge, holding
out his hand, which the_lawyer accepted.

"However is_this,_Mr._Dodge?" inquired Bill. "I_sure am a whole lot
surprised to_meet up with you here--that is,_I'm surprised to have it
occur so soon._Will you wash the dust out_of your throat?"

"Don't care if_I do,"_said Dodge, and they crowded_nearer to the_bar.

"Bill, I_thinks mebbe you_might present yer friend," chipped in_Handsome
Charley.

"Waal, Charley," said_Bill, "this yere is Mr.----"

"Lewis," interposed_Dodge_quickly.

"Mr. Lewis," said_Bill_queerly._"Mr. Lewis,_permit me to_make_you
acquainted with_Charley_Sears, generally called Handsome Charley. Will
you_take_a little pisen with us, Charley?"

Handsome Charley_gave Dodge his hand,_which_the lawyer shook gingerly,
his_coolness causing the fellow to_frown.

They all drank, and Bill lurched,_catching at_the edge_of the bar.

"'Scuse me," he said, with unusual politeness. "Always makes_me dizzy to
dance. There is a_right good lot of_whirlin' around_in_it, you know."

Charley_smiled.

"You_had a_fine partner that last dance, Bill; but_you ought_to bring
out that handsome gal an'_take a spin with_her,_man. I 'low it ain't
right to_keep her under kiver when every_gent yere is yearnin' to_set
eyes_on_her."

"They'll have to keep right_on yearnin'," averred Bill, frowning.

"You're gettin'_a whole lot_selfish," declared Charley.