Page:Fighting Back (1924).pdf/28

 this mug is, as does the rest of the gang which gathers round us with pleased grins on their pans.

Beyond that first curious glance, Kid Roberts pays no further attention to this baby, and, tryin' to smooth things over, Désirée nervously asks can she wait on him.

"No!" grunts the cave man. "I want this fellow here to wait on me!" With that he grabs hold of the Kid's shoulder and swings him around. "What's the matter—lose your tongue?" he sneers. "Or are you just plain yellow? You was brave enough when you throwed 'at poor helpless drunk out of here to show off before the girl, wasn't you? Well, I ain't drunk; le'ss see you throw me out!"

"Be yourself, you big scissor-billed dumbell!" I sneer, edgin' between 'em. "The first thing you know you'll get a proper smackin'. You get rosy with us and we'll lay you like linoleum!"

"Easy there, Joe!" warns the Kid, steppin' in front of me. "Don't get excited over nothing, old man," he tells this big hick, "and don't take my hot-headed friend seriously. I didn't intend to create any disturbance by ejecting that drunkard. He was annoying the young lady, and I only did what any other man would have done under the circumstances. There's nobody hurt, so let's forget about it."

"Forget nothin'!" growls the other guy, rollin' up his sleeves. "I'm goin' to give the both of you the lickin' of your lives, you dirty"

Never mind what he called us—that was his hard luck! Désirée gets fiery red and backs away. The