"Now ain't that funny, Marvin. Yuh told me not three minutes ago yuh didn't stop at any o' yore line-camps."
"I mean we—I gave 'em to Shorty Simms. He's at the Lazy River line-camp, an' he took 'em there."
"Why did yuh give 'em to Shorty?" persisted Richie.
"Look here, Richie!" blazed Marvin, "this ain't no court, an' I don't have to answer yore questions."
"Yuh'll have to answer plenty of questions," retorted Richie, "before I'll see Loudon stretched."
"I tell yuh he's a rustler!" shouted the mulish Marvin. "He's startin' a herd o' his own, an' he's usin' the Dumbbell brand. We seen him brandin' that stock! That's enough for you or any one else to know, an' I tell yuh flat the 88 is out to stretch Tom Loudon the first chance it gets!"
"Well, o' course, you know best," said Richie, "but I wouldn't do nothin' rash, Marvin. I just wouldn't go off at half-cock if I was you."
"No," chipped in Loudon, briskly. "I wouldn't set my heart on it, Marvin, old hoss. I ain't countin' none on dyin' yet awhile. I've got a heap o' little matters to attend to before I cash, an' yuh can see how hangin' me would disarrange all my plans. Take yore decorated cow an' calf now an' pull yore freight, an' don't look back."
When Marvin and Rudd were gone Richie hooked his thumb in his belt and looked with twinkling eyes at Loudon and the men in the doorway.
"I guess that settles the cat-hop," said Jack Richie.