“Will you keep quiet aboot my hosses?”
Neale had never before seen the tinge of gray in that red-bronze face.
“But I told you to straighten up!”
“Wal, who hasn’t?” retorted Larry.
“You haven’t! Don’t lie.”
“If you put it thet way, all right. Now what’re you-all goin’ to do aboot it?”
“I’ll lick you good,” declared Neale, hotly. He was angry with Larry, but angrier with himself that he had been the cause of the cowboy’s loss of work and of his splendid horses.
“Lick me!” ejaculated Larry. “You mean beat me up?”
“Yes. You deserve it.”
Larry took him in earnest and seemed very much concerned. Neale could almost have laughed at the cowboy’s serious predicament.