"I'll sure do that," he said.
"I'll be right glad to have you," said Calumet. "Come tomorrow--in the
afternoon--any time."
"You reckonin' on bein' the boss now?" questioned Taggart.
Some emotion flickered Calumet's eyelashes. "You've said somethin',"
he returned; "nobody's runnin' me." He turned and walked to Dade, who
had been watching him with wrath and astonishment.
"Drinkin'?" suggested Taggart. "Have a drink, old man," he said, with
celluloid good fellowship.
Calumet turned with a grin. "Me an' my friend has got to the end of
our capacity," he said. "He's workin' for me an I ain't settin' him a
bad example. The next time, if you're in the humor, I'll be glad to
drink all you can buy." He waved a hand behind him, with the other he
was pushing Dade before him toward the door. "So-long," he said, as he
and Dade went out.
Taggart laughed as he turned to his companions, who had said nothing
during the conversation.
"Friends!" he said; "he's green an' due for a shock!"
Either Taggart or the proprietor had made a mistake in their estimate
of Calumet. For at the instant Taggart had sneered at Calumet to his
friends, the bartender, who had come in while Taggart and Calumet had
been talking, leaned over to listen to the proprietor.
"In Taggart's place," said the proprietor, "I'd be mighty careful of
that man.
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