“Don’t ask me! I reckoned you’d chew him up, but he seemed to handle you easier than he did me.”
“Why, thar ain’t no galoot in this yar town kin handle me!” growled the cowboy, making a desperate struggle to rise.
He grew dizzy and toppled over. Then Joe assisted him to his feet, but he stood there in a bewildered way.
“Never felt so queer in all my life,” he muttered. “The wind seems all knocked out of me. I think I need a drink to brace me up.”
“What are you going to do to the dude?”
“I don’t think I’ll do a thing ter him now, but I reckon I’ll settle with him later. I’ll shoot him full of holes like a sieve! I’ll smash him like a fly! I’ll rope him like a—steer! I’ll brand him like a calf!”
Joe seemed greatly disappointed.
“I allow you made some talk like this before we came here,” he said; “but the dude kicked you down the stairs.”
“I wasn’t ready for him. I wasn’t expecting him to move so quick. He took me off my guard. Ef he’d seemed at all dangerous, I’d been watchin’ out. But I’ll do him! He’ll never play in his old show ter-night! I promise you that, Joe. I’ll fix him so he won’t be able ter walk acrost ther stage!”
With that threat, the cowboy staggered out of the building, aided by Joe.