“You’re the sweetest liar for a thousand miles either side of the line.  There isn’t even the picture of a cucumber in this sun-blasted town.”

“Isn’t, eh?  Look here!” And the lank man pulled open a drawer in the desk.  The collector fumbled among some papers and drew out a bulky seed catalogue, illustrated in glowing tints.

“Oh, I’ll buy,” laughed the assistant.  “I reckon if I asked for a picture of this man Waring that’s wanted by those nickel-plated coyotes, you’d fish it up and never sweat a hair.”

“I could,” said the collector, closing the drawer.

“Here, smoke one of mine for a change.  About that picture.  I met Jim Waring in Las Cruces.  He was a kid then, but a comer.  Had kind of light, curly hair.  His face was as smooth as a girl’s.  He wasn’t what you’d call a dude, but his clothes always looked good on him.  Wimmin kind of liked him, but he never paid much attention to them.  He worked for me as deputy a spell, and I never hired a better man.  But he wouldn’t stay with one job long.  When Las Cruces got quiet he pulled his freight.  Next I heard of him he was married and living in Sonora.  It didn’t take Diaz long to find out that he could use him.  Waring was a wizard with a gun—­and he had the nerve back of it.  But Waring quit Diaz, for Jim wasn’t that kind of a killer.  I guess he found plenty of work down there.  He never was one to lay around living on his reputation and waiting for nothing to happen.  He kept his reputation sprouting new shoots right along—­and that ain’t all joke, neither.”

“Speakin’ in general, could he beat you to it with a gun, Pat?”

“Speaking in general—­I reckon he could.”

“Them rurales are kind of careless—­ridin’ over the line and not stoppin’ by to make a little explanation.”

The lank man nodded.  “There’s a time coming when they’ll do more than that.  That old man down south is losing his grip.  I don’t say this for general information.  And if Jim Waring happens to ride into town, just tell him who you are and pinch him for smuggling; unless I see him first.”

“What did I ever do to you?”

Pat laughed silently.  “Oh, he ain’t a fool.  It’s only a fool that’ll throw away a chance to play safe.”

“You got me interested in that Waring hombre.  I’ll sure nail him like you said; but if he goes for his gun I don’t want you plantin’ no cucumber seed on my restin’-place.  Guess I’ll finish those reports.”

The lank man yawned, and, rising, strode to the window.  The assistant sauntered to the inner office and drew up to his desk.  “Pablo’s whiskey is rotten!” he called over his shoulder.  The lank collector smiled.

The talk about Waring and Las Cruces had stirred slumbering memories; memories of night rides in New Mexico, of the cattle war, of blazing noons on the high mesas and black nights in huddled adobe towns; Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Caliente, Santa Fe—­and weary ponies at the hitching-rails.