"What's them fellows up to?" cried Cinnabar Joe, and as Purdy turned,
glass in hand, to follow his glance Tex saw the bartender swiftly
substitute his own glass for the one into which he had dropped the
liquid.
The next instant Purdy was again facing him. "What fellers?" he asked
sharply.
Cinnabar Joe laughed: "Oh, that Bear Paw Pool bunch. Fellow's got to
keep his eye peeled whenever they git their heads together. Here's
luck."
For only an instant did Tex hesitate while his brain worked rapidly.
"There's somethin' bein' pulled off here," he reasoned, "that I ain't
next to. If that booze was doped why did Cinnabar drink it? Anyways,
he pulled that stall on Purdy fer some reason an' it's up to me to see
him through with it. But if I do git doped it won't kill me an' when I
come alive they's a couple of fellows goin' to have to ride like hell
to keep ahead of me."
He drank the liquor and as he returned the glass to the bar he noted
the glance of satisfaction that flashed into Purdy's eyes.
"Come on, boys, let's git things a-goin'!" Mayor Maloney stood in the
doorway and beamed good humouredly: "'Tain't every cowtown's got a bank
an' us Wolf Riverites has got to do ourself proud. Every rancher an'
nester in forty mile around has drove in. The flat's rimmed with
wagons an' them train folks is cocked up on the lumber piles
a-chickerin' like a prairie-dog town.
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