ugh to make him loosen up. Come on; I'm goin'."

"Not me; this town is too near Fort Hays; I'm liable to run into some of
the fellows."

A chair scraped across the floor as Bill arose to his feet; evidently
from the noise he had been drinking, but Keith heard him lift the latch
of the door.

"All right, Willoughby," he said, thickly, "I'll try my luck, an' if I
see Bart I'll tell him yer here. So long."

He shuffled along the hall and went, half sliding, down stairs, and
Keith distinguished the click of glass and bottle in the next room.
He was sitting up in bed now, wide awake, obsessed with a desire to
investigate. The reference overheard must have been to Hawley, and if
so, this Willoughby, who was afraid of meeting soldiers from the fort,
would be the deserter Miss Hope was seeking. There could be no harm
in making sure, and he slipped into his clothes, and as silently as
possible, unlatched his door. There was a noisy crowd at the farther end
of the hall, and the sound of some one laboriously mounting the stairs.
Not desiring to be seen, Keith slipped swiftly toward the door of the
other room, and tried the latch. It was unfastened, and he stepped
quietly within, closing it behind him.

A small lamp was on the washstand, a half-emptied bottle and two glasses
beside it, while a pack of cards lay scattered on the floor. Fully
dressed, except for a coat, the sole occupant lay on the bed, but
started up at Keith's unceremonious entrance, reaching for his revolver,
which had slipped to the wrong side of his belt.

"What the hell!" he exclaimed, startled and confused.

The intruder took one glance at him through the dingy light--a boy of
eighteen, dark hair, dark eyes, his face, already exhibiting signs of
dissipation, yet manly enough in chin and mouth--and smiled.

"I could draw while you were thinking about it," he said, easily, "but I
am not here on the fight. Are you Fred Willoughby?"

The lad stared at him, his uncertain hand now closed on the butt of his
revolver, yet held inactive by the other's quiet assurance.

"What do you want to know for?"

"Curiosity largely; thought I'd like to ask you a question or two."

"You--you're not from the fort?"

"Nothing to do with the army; this is a private affair."

The boy was sullen from drink, his eyes heavy.

"Then who the devil are you? I never saw you before."

"That's very true, and my name wouldn't help any. Nevertheless, you're
perfectly welcome to