“Been fired, aint I? No man need tell me that more’n once.”
“Who told you?”
“Yore big boss over yonder.” Laramie indicated with jerk of red head.
“What for?”
Laramie smiled sourly through the perspiration of his rugged countenance.
By that twist of the lips he revealed the injury done to his very soul.
“’Cause I abuse his pet stock. Got to learn how to handle hawsses, yet.”
“Hold on! You say he fired you?”
“He shorely did. I’m quittin’. Here’s his hawss. You got my time?”
“No!” Tex implored. “Wait! Why, doggone his skin—” He wheeled about, but the “big boss” was valiantly coming as if to impress the stamp of authority. And the lingering riders grinned.