“I hear you expect some women out purty soon,” he suggested.
“Yes. Sisters and a friend,” Shields replied shortly.
“Ain’t you a little leary about letting ’em come out here while the Apaches are out?”
“Not very much–I’ll be on hand when they arrive,” the sheriff assured him.
“How soon are they due to land?”
“Next trip if nothing hinders them.”
“Jim Hawes is comin’ out next trip,” volunteered the clerk.
“Good,” responded the sheriff, turning to go. “Every gun counts, and Jim is a good man.”
“Say,” the agent was lonesome, “I heard down at the Oasis last night that The Orphant was seen out near the Cross Bar-8 yesterday. He ought to get shot, d––n him! But that’s a purty big contract, I reckon. They say he can shoot like the very devil.”
“They’re right, he can,” Shields replied. “Everybody knows that.”