Tesno had a lopsided grin that brought a dimple to his left cheek and none to his right. He flashed it on Pinky now and moved his hands to the buckle of his gunbelt. He let the belt fall free and swung it toward Madrid, still not looking at him. The marshal caught the belt with a little flourish and stepped up to the bar.
"How about the house buying, Pinky," he said in a new tone. Hostility seemed to have left him.
"No thanks," Tesno said.
"No hard feelings," Madrid said.
"None. When I start drawing Ben Vickers' pay, I'll be around for that gun."
"Sure," Madrid said. "Just don't wear it in town."
"Depends," Tesno said.
"I'd just take it off you again."
"No. If I put it on again, you won't take it off me." Tesno flashed the lopsided grin and walked out of the saloon.
Pinky poured Madrid a drink. "Congratulations, Pete. It takes a man to face down that ringtail."