“The skunks,” he muttered, between his swollen lips.  “They’d make me fight an’ steal fer them, an’ then leave me in the hole, would they?  Well, I’ll make them hump fer this.”

Then he looked unsteadily at Ted out of his good eye, as if he was wondering how it all had happened.  But while his glance was not as belligerent as it had been, still there was nothing but hatred in his expression.

Ted eyed him back fearlessly, but this time his hand rested upon the handle of his revolver, and Stella, by his side, was on the alert also.  Shan Rhue was not one to be trusted, especially after he had met defeat.  After staring for a moment he spoke.

“I reckon yer beat me fair, young feller,” he said, “although I don’t know yet how yer did it.  But I want ter say ter yer now that this ain’t the end, by no means.”

“That’s all right,” said Ted easily.  “You keep out of my way, and you will be all right.”

“I go where I please, an’ do what I please, an’ ask ther right o’ no man,” retorted Shan Rhue truculently.

“All right, go where you please, but don’t run afoul of me,” said Ted sharply.  “I don’t want to have anything to do with such cattle as you, and I don’t propose to.  Keep off my trail if you know when you’re well off.  This is a friendly tip—­take it or leave it.”

“I don’t want none o’ yer tips,” growled Shan Rhue.  “Ye’ve beaten me, an’ I hate yer.  Look out fer me next time, that’s all.”

“Yes, that’s all.  Skidoo!  You’re not pretty to look at.”

Ted turned his back upon the defeated bully, but Stella did not, and had Shan Rhue made a motion toward his gun there would have been one with a pearl handle and trimmed with silver in commission in an instant.

With a long, malignant look after Ted, the bully turned and hobbled slowly from the fair grounds.

“I’m going to start on the trail of Norris,” said Ted.  “Want to come along, Stella?”

“You bet I do,” said the girl.  “Wait till I catch my pony.”

“Ben, you and Bud ride through the town and see if you can’t get on to the movements of that old rip Norris, also, and look out for Kit.  If we don’t get Norris, and make him give up that magpie pony, our work has not been half done.  As long as we have won out all around, we might as well have the fruits of our victory,” said Ted.

“What’ll we do to ther coyote?” asked Bud.

“Part his coat tails and give him a good, swift kick,” answered Ted.  “But don’t get into any fights with these town gamblers.  We can’t afford anything of that sort, you know.”

“All righty; but I’d shore like ter git a crack at some o’ them mavericks,” said Bud grudgingly.

“They’re all licked in their minds already,” said Ted.  “Of course, they’re sore at losing their money, and if a dozen or more of them were to tackle you, you’d have a hard time getting away with it.  When the fight comes off, if ever it does, we all want to be in on it.”