brought in, and pouring out a glassful
of undiluted brandy he drank it down and muttered:

"That's the stuff! It will keep up the fire. My veins would stiffen
without it. It has carried me so far, and it must to the end. Then--no
matter!"

The stranger or traveler looked as if wondering that the young man could
take such a fearful dose of fiery liquor, and the wonder must have
increased when a second glassful was drained before the food was on the
table.

But the latter came in now, and the traveler and the young man with
auburn hair, at separate tables, were apparently too busy in disposing
of the eatables to take any further notice of each other.

When the first had finished, he took a roll of cigarettes from one of
his pockets, selected one, took a match from a silver box, drawn from
the same pocket, and lighting his cigarette, threw a cloud of smoke
above his head.

The second, pouring out his third glass of brandy, sipped it
quietly--the first two glasses having evidently supplied the fire he
craved so fiercely.

The traveler, as we may call him, for want of any other knowledge, now
rose, and as if impelled by natural politeness, tendered a cigarette to
the other.

The man with auburn hair looked surprised, and his fierce, wild face
softened a little, as he said:

"Thank you, no. I drink sometimes, like a fish, but I don't smoke.
Tobacco shakes the nerves, they say, and I want my nerves steady.

"Strong drink will shake them more, I've heard," said the traveler, in
his low, musical voice. "But you seem to have a steady hand though you
take brandy as if used to it."

"My hand is steady, stranger." was the reply. "There is not a man on the
Rio Grande border, where I came from, that can strike a center at twenty
paces with a revolver as often as I. And with a rifle at one hundred
yards I can most generally drop a deer with a ball between his eyes, if
he is looking at me, or take a wild turkey's head without hurting his
body."

"Then, you are from Texas?"

"Yes, sir. And you?"

"From the East, sir. I have traveled in the South--all over, in
fact--but my home is in the old Empire State.

"If it isn't impudent, which way are you bound now?"

"I haven't quite decided. I may go to the Black Hills--may remain around
here awhile--it seems to be rather a pleasant place."

"Yes, for them that like it. I'm off for the Black Hills, myself."

"Ah! with a company?"

"Not much! But there's a company going.