hind, as the former made his way toward them.
Buckley spoke loudly when he was still an appreciable
distance away:

"You were mighty considerate about my dusty
throat," he began with heavy sarcasm; "I ought to
have seen at the time that you had it made up between
you. This is the second time that you have
broken in on me, Makimmon. I'm not a boy any
longer. You can't tread on me. It's going to stop
...now."

"There's nothing for you to get excited about,
Buck. Miss Beggs and I took a little stroll while
you were away."

"A 'little stroll.'" Buckley produced a heavy
gold watch, the highly chased cover of which he
snapped back. "Over half an hour," he proclaimed;
"you stayed too long this time."

Gordon was aware of a form at his back. He
turned, and saw Tol'able.

"What's the trouble, Gord?" the latter asked.
Two or three others were compactly grouped behind
him.

"Why, Buckley's hot because I walked with Miss
Beggs while he took a drink."

The men about Buckley Simmons closed up.
"Don't let Gordon crowd you down," they advised
their principal; "put it up against him."

[[196]]

p195 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p196w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p197

v?