“Blome sat on the edge of a table an’ he faced the door.  Of course, there was a pard outside, ready to pop in an’ tell him if Steele was comin’.  But Steele didn’t come in that way.  He wasn’t on the street just before that time, because Zimmer told me afterward.  Steele must have been in the Hope So somewhere.  Any way, just like he dropped from the clouds he came through the door near the bar.  Blome didn’t see him come.  But most of the gang did, an’ I want to tell you that big room went pretty quiet.

“‘Hello Blome, I hear you’re lookin’ for me,’ called out Steele.

“I don’t know if he spoke ordinary or not, but his voice drew me up same as it did the rest, an’ damn me!  Blome seemed to turn to stone.  He didn’t start or jump.  He turned gray.  An’ I could see that he was tryin’ to think in a moment when thinkin’ was hard.  Then Blome turned his head.  Sure he expected to look into a six-shooter.  But Steele was standin’ back there in his shirt sleeves, his hands on his hips, and he looked more man than any one I ever saw.  It’s easy to remember the look of him, but how he made me feel, that isn’t easy.

“Blome was at a disadvantage.  He was half sittin’ on a table, an’ Steele was behind an’ to the left of him.  For Blome to make a move then would have been a fool trick.  He saw that.  So did everybody.  The crowd slid back without noise, but Bo Snecker an’ a rustler named March stuck near Blome.  I figured this Bo Snecker as dangerous as Blome, an’ results proved I was right.

“Steele didn’t choose to keep his advantage, so far as position in regard to Blome went.  He just walked round in front of the rustler.  But this put all the crowd in front of Steele, an’ perhaps he had an eye for that.

“‘I hear you’ve been looking for me,’ repeated the Ranger.

“Blome never moved a muscle but he seemed to come to life.  It struck me that Steele’s presence had made an impression on Blome which was new to the rustler.

“‘Yes, I have,’ replied Blome.

“‘Well, here I am.  What do you want?’

“When everybody knew what Blome wanted and had intended, this question of Steele’s seemed strange on one hand.  An’ yet on the other, now that the Ranger stood there, it struck me as natural enough.

“‘If you heard I was lookin’ for you, you sure heard what for,’ replied Blome.

“’Blome, my experience with such men as you is that you all brag one thing behind my back an’ you mean different when I show up.  I’ve called you now.  What do you mean?’

“‘I reckon you know what Jack Blome means.’

“‘Jack Blome!  That name means nothin’ to me.  Blome, you’ve been braggin’ around that you’d meet me—­kill me!  You thought you meant it, didn’t you?’

“‘Yes—­I did mean it.’

“‘All right.  Go ahead!’