"I'll take a lemon soda, thanks," said Taylor.
There followed one of those general pauses as explosive as a pistol shot.
Then the cow-boy who had touched him on the shoulder suggested that he had better take a man's drink.
But he was not to be changed. "I'll take lemon soda," he said to the tender, with an amiability that the cow-boy made the mistake of taking for indecision.
"You better do what I say!" He was plainly spoiling for a fight.
But the minister still refused to see it. He looked him very squarely in the eyes now, however. "See here, I am going to take lemon pop, my friend," he said.
The friend swore earnestly that he would take what he was told to.
"You are mistaken, my good fellow, because I won't." There was not the shadow of hesitation in his voice, nor did he lower his mild blue eyes.
The cow-boy broadened the issue. "You will, and you'll take off that plug, too, or I'll know what for."