Magee went into the rear room of the place and came out with two glasses of liquor. There was no attempt at concealing anything. The liquor was very strong and of a peculiar taste, but Bud did not feel that anything was wrong until Magee's face and form began to separate into many more Magees; so many that the room seemed densely populated with Magees.
Then the Magee army and everything else faded out and Bud's senses with them. When Bud came back to his senses he found himself at headquarters, his clothes whisky soaked, a bottle of liquor in his pocket and disgrace staring him in the face.
From the lips of old Angus MacPherson Bud found out that he had been found on the road, just at the outskirts of Kingsburg, drunk as a fool. And with him was Marie Beaudet, a young half-breed girl, just as drunk as he.
He was also informed by MacPherson, who had no sympathy for anybody, that Joe Burgoyne, who was engaged to Marie Beaudet, had sworn to kill him on sight—if old Louis Beaudet did not beat him to it. Joe was a gambling half-breed, with a hawk-like face, a lean, lithe body and uncanny ability with a knife.
Bud scowled deeply and it seemed to please MacPherson immensely.
"And Bur-r-goyne will do it, too," declared the Scot ominously. "He's a de'il with a knife. And don't ye over-r-look old Louie and his shotgun."
"Yuh sure can think of a lot of sweet things, you damn old cockle-burr," groaned Bud.
MacPherson grinned maliciously. "And as for-r-r Miss Nor-r-rah Clarey——"
MacPherson ducked quickly and Bud's boot-heel hit the wall behind him.
"Leave her name out of it!" snapped Bud. "I don't know a blamed thing that happened, Mac."