Page:The Trail Rider (1924).pdf/307

 "Too bad," said Texas, unmoved.

Noggle clipped on, nodding over Hartwell's head at Fannie, whose interest made her a better mark.

"Clean 'em out if it keeps on spreading they say, and make hard times here in the Arkansaw Valley. Well, the beauty of my business is, a man can pick up and foiler the money."

"Did you say he was from the Diamond Tail?" Fannie asked.

"Yes, that's Sawyer's brand, you know. He said it was spreadin' in on the Open Hat, too. I guess somebody oncorked a bottle of hornets when they drove them Texas cattle in here!"

Nobody offered any word to combat or agree with the assertion. Noggle pressed his subject back into the chair and began to rub the lather into his chin, keeping time to the movement with his foot like a man playing a banjo.

"I wouldn't like to stand in the shoes of the man who was to blame for them tick-bringin' cattle gittin' on this range," he said. "Cowboy that was in here from the Diamond Tail—I give him a hair-fcut, shave, shampoo, massage, and singe—said the cow-men was comin' in here in a day or two to look for the feller and handle him around some. If I knew who that man was I'd tip it off to him, as a friend, so he could make his gitaway."

"You're very kind and generous, sir," said