talking loudly and
extravagantly.

Sanderson remembered what Owen had told him concerning his appetite for
strong liquor, he remembered, too, that Owen was in possession of a
secret which, if divulged, would deliver Mary Bransford into the hands
of her enemies.

Sanderson's blood rioted with rage and disgust. He crossed the barroom
and stood behind Owen. The latter did not see him. One of the men
with Owen did see Sanderson, though, and he looked up impudently, and
smilingly pushed a filled glass of amber-colored liquor toward Owen.

"You ain't half drinkin', Owen," he said.

Sanderson reached over, took the glass, threw its contents on the floor
and grasped Owen by the shoulder. His gaze met the tempter's, coldly.

"My friend ain't drinkin' no more tonight," he declared.

The tempter sneered, his body stiffening.

"He ain't, eh?" he grinned, insolently. "I reckon you don't know him;
he likes whisky as a fish likes water."

Several men in the vicinity guffawed loudly.

Owen was drunk. His hair was rumpled, his face was flushed, and his
eyes were bleared and wide with an unreasoning, belligerent light as he
got up, swaying unsteadily, and looked at Sanderson.

"Not drink any more?" he demanded loudly. "Who says I can't? I've got
lots of money, and there's lots of booze here. Who says I can't drink
any more?"

And now, for the first time, he seemed to realize that Sanderson stood
before him. But the knowledge appeared merely to increase his
belligerence to an insane fury. He broke from Sanderson's restraining
grasp and stood off, reeling, looking at Sanderson with the grin of a
satyr.

"Look who's telling me I can't drink any more!" he taunted, so that
nearly every man in the room turned to look at him, "It's my guardian
angel gentlemen--Will Bransford, of the Double A! Will Bransford--ha,
ha, ha! Will Bransford! Come an' look at him, gentlemen! Says I
can't drink any more booze. He's running the Double A, Bransford is.
There's a lot I could tell you about Bransford--a whole lot! He
ain't----"

His maudlin talk broke off short, for Sanderson had stepped to his side
and placed a hand over his mouth. Owen struggled, broke away, and
shouted:

"Damn you, let me alone! I'm going to tell these people who you are.
You're----"

Again his talk was stilled. This time the method was swift and
certain. Sanderson took another step toward him and struck. His fist
landed on Owen's jaw, resound