They separated and Merrick went to the Pinnacle Saloon, where he met Honey Bee. Honey had drunk enough to make him loquacious.
“Didja accept Joe’s resignation?” asked Honey.
“Nothin’ else to do,” replied Merrick. There was little love lost between these two men.
“Uh-huh.” Honey leaned against the bar and cuffed his hat to one side of his head.
“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.