Austin laughed mockingly. "That's my business." said he.
Dave moistened his lips. He hitched his shoulders nervously. He
was astonished at his own self-control, though the certainty that
Austin was drunk helped him to steady himself. Nevertheless, he
dared not trust himself to speak.
Construing this silence as an acknowledgment of defeat, Ed turned
to go. Some tardy sense of duty, however, prompted him to fling
back, carelessly:
"I suppose you've come a good ways. If you're hungry, Benito will
show you the way to the kitchen." Then he walked away into the
darkness, followed by the shocked gaze of his range boss.
Benito roused himself from his amazement to say, warmly: "Si,
compadre. You will enjoy a cup of hot coffee."
But Law ground out fiercely: "I'm not used to kitchen hand-outs. I
reckon I can chew my bridle-reins if I get too hungry." Walking to
his horse, he vaulted into the saddle.
Benito laid a hand upon his thigh and apologized. "Senor Ed is a
strange man. He is often like this, lately. You understand me?
Will you come to my house for supper?"
"Thank you, but I think I'll ride on to Tad Lewis's and see
Urbina.
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