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Casey halted in his unsteady progress toward the dugout. The sheriff was already questioning his two prisoners about other members of the gang; but he looked up when Casey lifted up his voice and spoke his mind of the moment. "Brung a cor'ner, did yuh, lookin' for some one to set on! Barney Oakes is the man that'll need a cor'ner in a minute. You're all goin' to need 'im.
Moreover, there was a crowd ten deep around that particular table. For the news had gone out that here was Casey Ryan back again, a hopeless cripple, playing poker like a drunken Rockefeller and losing as if he liked to lose. At eight o'clock the next morning Bill came in to tell Casey that the show people had brought up their car to be fixed, and was the pay good?
Casey gave him an inquiring look. "Can we get there in time to paper the town and hire a hall to show in, Mister?" Casey saw the mud-caked feet move laboriously toward the rear of the car. "Yes, ma'am, I guess you can. There ain't any town, though, and it ain't got any hall in it, nor anybody to go to a show." The woman laughed. "That's like my prayer book.
But Casey merely grunted when I spoke to him about it. "Maybe it is. A coupla hundred ounces, say. What's that, even with silver at a dollar an ounce? It ain't good enough for Casey, and what I'm wastin' my time for, wearing the heels off'n my shoes prospectin' Starvation, is somethin' I can't tell yuh." He looked at me with his pale-blue, unwinking stare for a minute.
Meanwhile the company is trying to take the water and the ranchers are trying to prevent them. So far nobody has been hurt, but I'm afraid, with the bitterness which is sure to develop, there may be serious trouble at any time." "Mr. Dunne and his friends have not funds for a long legal fight?" "No. Casey himself is land poor that is, he has put every dollar he could rake together into land.
Don't throw that up to me." "Nonsense! Don't be so touchy. I wish I had it. You'll go where there are people and things happening. You'll keep the ranch, but Tom will look after it." "No, no." "Yes, yes. You won't be idle you're not that kind but you'll find other interests, and the money may be a stepping-stone. She's a dear girl, Casey. Be good to her." "I couldn't be anything else.
It was as if the desert had purposely dropped a curtain before his past and would show him none of his future. Whereat Casey Ryan grinned, took a chew of tobacco and was himself again. "If they wanta come pinch me here, I'll meet 'em man to man. Back in town no man's got a show. They pile in four deep and gang a feller. Out here it's lick er git licked. They can all go t' thunder.
"You don't know where it is! That's just like a man. For shame!" "You're wrong," Casey said quietly. "I keep it with some little things that belonged to my mother." She put out her hand impulsively. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "I I beg your pardon!" His strong fingers closed on hers. She did not withdraw her hand. He leaned forward to look into her upraised eyes in the growing darkness.
''Tis th' intherstate commerce act now, but th' nex' thing 'll be where I got th' pianny, he says; 'an', f'r fear ye may not stop where ye are, here goes to mount ye. An' he climbed th' big man, an' rolled him. Well, sir will ye believe me, ivry man on th' comity but wan voted f'r him. Casey was still in bed iliction day. "I met Tom Dorsey afther th' comity called.
Jack, dear, can you believe your nose!" chirped the woman presently behind Casey. "Junior, darling, just smell the bacon! Isn't he a nice gentleman? Go give him a kiss like a little man." Casey didn't want any kiss at least from Junior. Junior was six years old, and his face was dirty and his eyes were old, old eyes, but brown like his father's.
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