"
"I will pay you a reasonable amount for any damage to your field, and
for the food, and the use of your horses," offered Endicott, reaching
for his pocket.
"Keep your money, Win," grinned the Texan. "Let me pay for this. This
coyote owes me twenty dollars he borrowed from me when I first hit the
country an' didn't know him. He's always be'n anxious to pay it, ain't
you, Bill? Well, it's paid now, an' you don't need to go worryin' your
heart out about that debt no longer."
Again the man opened his lips, but closed them hurriedly as Tex reached
for the soap.
"I'll have to borrow your horse an' saddle for my friend, here," said
the Texan, "an' Bat, he'll have to borrow one, too. We'll leave 'em in
Timber City."
"_Non_!" cried the half-breed, who had paused in the process of
changing Alice's saddle to her own horse. "Me--I ain' gon' for bor' no
hoss. Am tak' dis hoss an' giv' heem back to Judge Carson. Him b'long
over on Sage Creek."
"Whad'ye mean, ye red scum!" screamed the man, his face growing purple.
"That Circle 12 brand is----"
"Ha! Circle 12! De mos' dat Circle 12 she hair-bran'." He stepped
into the cabin and reappeared a moment later with some coal-oil in a
cup. This he poured into his hand and rubbed over the brand on the
horse's shoulder. And when he had pressed the hair flat, the Circle 12
resolved itself into a V 2.
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