"Break it up!" he kept bellowing. "Break it up!"
Men began to hurry out of the saloon now, some with their hands full of money. Several stopped to slap Willie on the back on the way.
"I'm for firin' the marshal and givin' you the job!" one said.
The last man on his feet was Pinky Bronklin. His nose was bleeding, and he clutched his apron to it. He started for a small stairway at the back of the saloon, then he saw Tesno and came close.
"You set this up," he said, lowering the apron from his blood-smeared face. "I know you. I know you, Tesno."
Tesno threw back his head and laughed. He clapped Pinky on the shoulder and spun him toward the stairway. "I'll make an honest man of you yet, Pinky," he said.
Cardona followed Pinky up the stairs. Madrid holstered his gun and came over. He was grinning, but his black eyes held Tesno's coldly. "I'll take it from here. My job."
Tesno matched the marshal's grin. He touched Willie's arm and they walked out of the saloon. Willie reached for the lemon soda.
"Whew! You th-think he'll f-fire me?"
"No chance of it," Tesno said. "Everybody in town would know the reason. He's got to pretend he thinks you did a good job."