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"Well, I expect he hated that worse, having to receive my explanation with folks lookin' on at us publicly that-a-way, and him without further ideas occurrin' to him at the moment. That's what started his poor opinion of me, not havin' ideas at the moment. And so the boys resumed their cyards. "I'd most forgot about it. But Trampas's mem'ry is one of his strong points.

From the station Trampas now came back, his herd following him less compactly. They had found famine, and no hope of supplies until the next train from the East. This was no fault of Trampas's; but they were following him less compactly. They carried one piece of cheese, the size of a fist, the weight of a brick, the hue of a corpse.

They laughed loudly at the blackguard picture which he drew; and the laugh stopped short, for the Virginian stood over Trampas. "You can rise up now, and tell them you lie," he said. The man was still for a moment in the dead silence. "I thought you claimed you and her wasn't acquainted," said he then. "Stand on your laigs, you polecat, and say you're a liar!" Trampas's hand moved behind him.

"Trampas," said the Virginian, "I thought yu'd be afeared to try it on me." Trampas whirled round. His hand was at his belt. "Afraid!" he sneered. "Shorty!" said Scipio, sternly, and leaping upon that youth, took his half-drawn pistol from him. "I'm obliged to yu'," said the Virginian to Scipio. Trampas's hand left his belt.

Nothing more could be read in his face, for there was Trampas himself in the open door. "Good morning," said Trampas, not looking at us. He spoke with the same cool sullenness of yesterday. We returned his greeting. "I believe I'm late in congratulating you on your promotion," said he. The Virginian consulted his watch. "It's only half afteh six," he returned. Trampas's sullenness deepened.

Here was Trampas's great strength; he need make no move meanwhile, but lie low for the immediate temptation to front and waylay them and win his battle over the deputy foreman. But the Virginian seemed to find nothing save enjoyment in this sunny September morning, and ate his breakfast at Forsythe serenely.

"What odds" he pointed the frying-pan at the Southerner "d' yu' figure Trampas's being under any foreman's wing will make to a man like him? He's going to remember Mr. Trampas and his spite-work if he's got to tear him out from under the wing, and maybe tear off the wing in the operation.

I had been aware of Trampas's quite proper departure during the talk; and as he was leaving, I seemed also to be aware of his placing the coil across the cantle of its owner's saddle. Had he intended it to fall and have to be picked up? It was another evasive little business, and quite successful, if designed to nag the owner of the rope.