“Shore not—­unless it sets us against our friends.”

“What you talkin’ about?” persisted the wilfully blinded Swing.  “Neither Baldy Barbee nor the Anvil outfit are any friends of mine.  I don’t even know ’em to speak to.”

“But I tell you it ain’t Baldy Barbee and the Anvil, you wooden-headed floop.  If it was them, why would Lanpher be in it?  And Nebraska?  And Thompson?  And Peaches Austin?  I dunno exactly what it all means.  But whatever it is, it’s gotta do with the country round Farewell—­with the ranches on the Lazy.  Aw right.  Besides Dale’s and Morgan’s there’s three ranches, ain’t they, on the Lazy near Farewell?”

Racey Dawson held up three fingers, doubling a thumb and forefinger behind them.

“Three ranches,” he continued, “and the manager of one is in cahoots with this Harpe of many strings.”  Here he doubled down his pinky and waved the remaining two fingers in the face of his friend.  “Two ranches are left, the Cross-in-a-box and the Bar S. Jack Richie is manager of the Cross-in-a-box.  I used to ride for Jack, and he’s my friend.  You dunno him, but you can take my word he’s the pure quill forty ways.  Then there’s the Bar S. Who’s foreman of that?  Tom Loudon.  You worked with him up at Scotty MacKenzie’s Flyin’ M ranch on the Dogsoldier, and I’ve knowed him ever since I come to this country.  I ain’t doing anything to make me bad friends with Tom Loudon.  Then there’s Dale, this Chin Whisker party.  He’s a good feller, and had a heap of hard luck, too.  I ain’t working against him, you betcha.  Nawsir.  And if I don’t miss my guess you don’t, either.”

“Aw, hell!  They ain’t no rat in that hole.  Yo’re seem’ a heap o’ smoke where they ain’t even a lighted match.  I don’t wanna do anything against either Richie’s outfit nor the Bar S, nor old Dale, but I ain’t satisfied—­”

“You ain’t!  Good Gawdamighty!  Ain’t I been tellin’ you?  Ain’t I been explaining of it all in words of one syllable?  Can’t you see Harpe’s trying to pull us in with him is just a trick to get us shot by our friends?  Because his jumping old Dale’s ranch will shore start a war and you can gamble it’s just as dangerous to be shot by yore friends as it is by the enemy.  Here I’m telling you over and over and you ain’t satisfied yet!  I’ve heard of fellers like you, but I never believed it was possible.  Like the whiffle-tit, they were just a damn lie.  But it’s all true.  Swing, old settler, if you had a quarter-ounce more sense you’d be half-witted.”

“If I had a quarter-ounce more sense I’d quit you cold like that.”  So saying Swing Tunstall rose to his feet and shuffled a guileful step or two closer to Racey.  The movement of his right arm passed unnoticed by Racey.  But the lighted cigarette that, following his movement, slipped down Racey’s back between his shirt collar and his neck did not pass unnoticed.

Racey hopped up with a sharp exclamation and shucked himself out of his shirt with the utmost despatch.  He did not stop at the shirt, but tore off his undershirt likewise.