chin up, bud. And don't forget it.
And them that tries to run over you got to run over me."

Saying this, he laid his large left hand on the bar and leaned a little
toward the bartender, but his right hand remained hanging loosely at his
side. It was near the holster, as Donnegan noticed. And the bartender,
having met the boring glance of the big man for a moment, turned surlily
away. The giant looked to Donnegan and observed: "Know a good definition
of the word, skunk?"

"Nope," said Donnegan, brightening now that the stern eye, of the
bartender was turned away.

"Here's one that might do. A skunk is a critter that bites when your
back is turned and runs when you look it in the eye. Here's how!"

He drained his own glass, and Donnegan dexterously followed the example.

"And what might you be doing around these parts?" asked the big man,
veiling his contempt under a mild geniality.

"Me? Oh, nothing."

"Looking for a job, eh?"

Donnegan shrugged.

"Work ain't my line," he confided.

"H'm-m-m," said Hal Stern. "Well, you don't make no bones about it."

"But just now," continued Donnegan, "I thought maybe I'd pick up some
sort of a job for a while." He looked ruefully at the palms of his hands
which were as tender as the hands of a woman. "Heard a fellow say that
Jack Landis was a good sort to work for--didn't rush his men none. They
said I might find him here."

The big man grunted.

"Too early for him. He don't circulate around much till the sun goes
down. Kind of hard on his skin, the sun, maybe. So you're going to work
for him?"

"I was figuring on it."

"Well, tie to this, bud. If you work for him you won't have him over
you."

"No?"

"No, you'll have"--he glanced a little uneasily around him--"Lord Nick."

"Who's he?"

"Who's he?" The big man started in astonishment. "Sufferin' catamounts!
Who is he?" He laughed in a disagreeable manner. "Well, son, you'll
find out, right enough!"

"The way you talk, he don't sound none too good."

Hal Stern grew anxious. "The way I talk? Have I said anything agin' him?
Not a word! He's--he's--well, there ain't ever been trouble between us
and there never ain't going to be." He flushed and looked steadily at
Donnegan. "Maybe he sent you to talk to me?" he asked coldly.

But Donnegan's eyes took on a childish wideness.

"Why, I never seen him," he declared. Hall Stern allowed the muscles of
his face to relax. "All right," he said, "they's no harm done.