“There was a man up in the Navajo country,” Sandy continued, “Where the patron was runnin’ the Bar Circle G. He stayed ’round quite a considerable, doctorin’ his lungs. Then the patron sold out up there; he had this range too, in them days; an’ I ain’t never seen this Sawyer chap down this way. The patron might tell you. Know him—Morgan Anderson?”
It was a name well known in the territory. Gard had seen its owner once or twice, in the old days. He said something of the sort to the cow-puncher.
“He’s away just now,” the latter told him; “but he’ll be back in a few days, an’ you can ask him. I’d know whatever did become o’ that chap.... Look a’ there, will you?”
He glanced over to where the men were playing poker. One of them had reached over and pulled a big brown flask from the Papago’s coat-pocket.
“Time you treated us to a drink, Joe,” he said, with a half-insolent air of fellowship.
The Indian nodded, smiling vacuously, and the bottle went around the table, each man helping himself. When it came back to its owner he rose with it, and crossed to the door, going out into the street. The men at the table looked at one another with a grin and one of them examined the hand of cards that the Indian had left behind him. He had just laid it down again when the Papago came back, and the game was resumed.
“Wouldn’t that rattle your slats now?” Sandy Larch asked, disgustedly.
“Joe,” he continued, “don’t dast drink even his own lickker in here. It’s agin the law for an Indian; an’ Jim Bracton wouldn’t stand fer ’t; he goes outside to take a drink, while them buzzards swills it in here, right before him; an’ they’re gittin’ his wad, too.”
Gard made no reply. He had more than once glanced at the group, while he and the foreman were talking, and now he watched them interestedly, an intent look in his deep eyes. A moment later he had turned, and was moving toward the players.
“Thinkin’ o’ sittin’ in?” Sandy Larch asked, jestingly. “They’s sure need of an honest-notioned man to deal them cards. But it’d be ticklish business.... Good Lord!”