"A little while afterward I seen a fellow standin' in the restaurant
door. He was a young American dressed in corduroys and boots,
like a prospector. You know it's no onusual fact to see prospectors
in these parts. What made me think twice about this one was how
big he seemed, how he filled up that door. He looked round the
saloon, an' when he spotted Rojas he sorta jerked up. Then he
pulled his slouch hat lopsided an' began to stagger down, down the
steps. First off I made shore he was drunk. But I remembered he
didn't seem drunk before. It was some queer. So I watched that
young man.
"He reeled around the room like a fellow who was drunker'n a lord.
Nobody but me seemed to notice him. Then he began to stumble over
pool-players an' get his feet tangled up in chairs an' bump against tables.
He got some pretty hard looks. He came round our way, an' all of a sudden
he seen us cowboys. He gave another start, like the one when
he first seen Rojas, then he made for us. I tipped Jim off that
somethin' was doin'.
"When he got close he straightened up, put back his slouch hat,
an' looked at us. Then I saw his face. It sorta electrified yours
truly. It was white, with veins standin' out an' eyes flamin'--a
face of fury. I was plumb amazed, didn't know what to think.
Then this queer young man shot some cool, polite words at me an' Jim.
"He was only bluffin' at bein' drunk--he meant to rush Rojas, to
start a rough house.
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