. Ma Bailey's silence was eloquent of suppressed
indignation. Bailey also seemed subdued. Pete was as placid as a
sleeping cherub. Only Andy White seemed really overwrought. He seemed
to suffer internally. The sweat stood out on Bill Haskins's red face,
but his appetite was in no way impaired. He ate rapidly and drank much
coffee. Ma Bailey was especially gracious to him. Presently from
Pete's end of the table came a faint "Me-e-ow!" Andy White put down
his cup of coffee and excusing himself fled from the room, Pete stared
after him as though greatly astonished. Barley the imperturbable
seemed to be suffering from internal spasms, and presently left the
table. Blaze Andrews, the quietest of the lot, also departed without
finishing his breakfast.

"Ain't you feelin' well, Ma?" queried Pete innocently.

Bailey rose and said he thought he would "go see to the horses"--a very
unusual procedure for him. Pete also thought it was about time to
depart. He rose and nodded to Bill. "Glad to see you back, Bill."
Then he went swiftly.

Haskins heaved a sigh. "I--doggone it--I--You got any
sticking-plaster, Ma?"

"Yes, William"--and "William" because Ma Bailey was still a bit
indignant, although she appreciated that Bill was more sinned against
than sinning. "Yes, William. Did you hurt yourself?"

"Stepped on a nail--er--this mawnin'. I--I wasn't lookin' where I
stepped."

"What started you out--that way?" queried Mrs. Bailey.

"Why, hell, Ma--I--wasn't meanin' hell, Ma,--but somebody--I reckon I
know who--plants a mountain lion right aside my bunk last night when I
was sleepin'. Fust thing this mawnin' I heard that bell and jumped out
o' my bunk plumb onto the cuss. Like to bruk my neck. That there
lion was a-lookin' right up into my face, kind of sleepy-eyed and
smilin' like he was hungry. I sure didn't stop to find out. 'Course,
when I got my wind, I knowed it was a joke. I reckon I ought to kill
somebody--"

"A lion, Bill? Hev you been drinkin'?"

"Drinkin'! Why, Ma, I ain't had a drop sence--"

"I reckon I better go see what's in that bunk-house," said Mrs. Bailey,
rising. "I'll get you that stickin'-plaster when I come back."

Mrs. Bailey realized that something unusual had started Bill Haskins on
his wild career that morning, but she could not quite believe that
there was a mountain lion--alive or dead--in the bunk-house until she
saw the great beast with her own amazed eyes. And sh