d an' milk-toast. Fine for a full-grown man, ain't it? Jim, you go
out an' get me a big steak an' cook it in boilin' grease on a camp-fire,
an' I'll give you a deed to the A T O."

"To-morrow, Clint. The Doc says--"

"_Manana!_ That's what they all say. Is this Mexico or God's country?
What I want, I want now."

"You always did--an' you 'most always got it too," said Ellison, his
eyes twinkling reminiscently.

'Mona shook a warning finger at her father. "Well, he won't get it now.
He'll behave, too, or he'll not get his pipe to-night."

The sick man grinned. "See how she bullies a poor old man, Jim. I'm
worse than that Lear fellow in the play--most henpecked father you ever
did see."

"Will she let you talk?"

"He may talk to you, Uncle Jim."

"What did I tell you?" demanded the big cattleman from the bed with the
mock bitterness that was a part of the fun they both enjoyed. "You see,
I got to get her permission. I'm a slave."

"That's what a nurse is for, Clint. You want to be glad you got the
sweetest one in Texas." The Captain patted Ramona affectionately on the
shoulder before he passed to the business of the day. "I want to know
about all these ructions in Tascosa. Tell me the whole story."

They told him. He listened in silence till they had finished, asked a
question or two, and made one comment.

"That boy Roberts of mine is sure some go-getter."

"He'll do," conceded the cattleman. "That lucky shot of his--the one
that busted Dinsmore's arm--certainly saved my life later."

"Lucky shot!" exploded Ellison. "And you just through tellin' me how he
plugged the dollars in the air! Doggone it, I want you to know there was
no darned luck about it! My boys are the best shots in Texas."

"I'll take any one of 'em on soon as I'm out--any time, any place, any
mark," retorted Wadley promptly.

"I'll go you. Roberts is a new man an' hasn't had much experience. I'll
match him with you."

"New man! H'mp! He's the best you've got, an' you know it."

"I don't know whether he is, but he's good enough to make any old-timer
like you look like a plugged nickel."

The cattleman snorted again, disdaining an answer.

"Dad is the best shot in Texas," pronounced Ramona calmly, rallying to
her father's support. For years she had been the umpire between the two.

The Captain threw up his hands. "I give up."

"And Mr. Roberts is just about as good."

"That's settled, then," said Ellison. "But what I came to say i