and see," responded Shields, examining his cinch.

"Do you mean that, Sheriff?" the other cried in surprise.

"Hell, yes!" answered Shields gruffly. "I'll give you a note to him, and
if you watch your business you'll be his right-hand man in a month. I
ain't making any mistake."

"By God, I'll do it!" cried the outlaw. "You're all right, Sheriff!"

"Well, I don't know about that," replied Shields, grinning broadly. "Mebby
I just can't see the use of us shooting each other up, and that is what it
will come to if things go on as they are, you know. I'd a blamed sight
rather have you behaving yourself with Blake than bothering me with your
fool nonsense and raising the devil all the time. Why, it's got so that
every place I go I sort of looks for flower pots!"

The Orphan laughed: "I shore had a fine time that night!"

When half way to the Limping Water the sheriff said good-by to Bill and
wheeled, facing in the direction of the Cross Bar-8.

"Orphan, you wait for me at the ford," he said. "I'm going up to break the
news to Sneed, and I'll get paper and pencil while I'm there, and write a
note to Blake. I'll get back as quick as I can--so long."

"So long, and good luck," replied The Orphan, heartily shaking hands with
his new friend.

Shields loped away and arrived at the ranch as Sneed was carrying water
to the cook shack.

"Hullo, Sneed! Playing cook?" he said, pulling in to a stop.

"I'll play _on_ the cook if I ever get my hands on him," replied Sneed,
setting the pail down. "Well, what's new? Seen Tex and the other three?
I'll play on _them_, too, when they gets home! Off playing hookey from
work when we all of us aches from double shifts--oh, just wait till I sees
'em sneaking in to bed! Just wait!"

"You ought to give 'em all a good thrashing, they need it," replied the
sheriff, and then he asked: "Got any paper, and a pencil?" He wanted his
needs supplied before he broke the news, for then he might not get them.

"Shore as you live I have," answered the foreman, picking up the pail and
starting toward the bunk-house. "Come in and wet the dust--it's hot out
here."

"Let me have the paper first--I want to scrawl a note before I forget
about it," the sheriff responded as he seated himself on a bunk and looked
critically about him at the bullet-riddled walls and pictures.

Sneed handed him an ink bottle and placed a piece of wrapping paper and
a corroded pen on the table.

"That paper ain't for love