“Who’sa sheriff now?”
“Len Kelsey.”
“O-o-o-oh, is that so? My, my! Things shore do change quick. If yuh had a lawyer and a doctor in yore Circle M, you’d kinda run the whole danged country, wouldn’t yuh?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Merrick grinned and invited Honey to have a drink.
“Well, I’ll drink with yuh,” agreed Honey. “I’m sad at heart.” They lifted their glasses to each other.
“Hits Jim Wheeler pretty hard,” said Merrick gravely.
“Sure does. Here’s how.”
“He tells me,” said Merrick, placing his glass on the bar, “that his daughter is goin’ East with Miss Hatton.”
“Yeah, I heard that,” said Honey sadly. “I didn’t know it was all settled.”
“I reckon it is. Anyway, I’m makin’ a loan to Jim. He’s in kinda heavy at the bank; so I’m lettin’ him have the money.”