"Santissima! Caramba! Caraj——"
Like a flash Badger snapped the revolver out through the open window, and his hand closed on the throat of the furious Mexican, cutting the vile word short.
"Here, you low-mouthed spawn of sin," grated the big Westerner, "there are ladies present! If you use that word before them, I'll shut off your wind a-plenty and let it stay shut! You hear me murmur!"
Murillo made one last furious struggle, but it was quite ineffectual, and he finally subsided, lying limp in the grasp of the big man.
"Who is this greaser coyote?" asked Badger, as he relaxed his hold on the man's throat, allowing him to catch a painful breath. "Whatever was he doing a-pulling a popgun that fashion?"
"Oh, he ees the veree bad man, señor!" exclaimed Teresa. "He annoy my dear friend, Juanita! He follow her all the way from Mexico! He threaten her eef she do not marry heem!"
Badger took a look at Juanita, and something like a gleam of admiration came into his big brown eyes.
"Juanita, you sure have my sympathy a-plenty," he observed. "You don't want to marry him?"
"Oh, no, no, señor!" replied the frightened girl.
"Well, then I opine I'll drop him out of the window. That may jar him some."