Andthentheysatdowntoconfidencesandwhiskey；forsolongastheworldgoesroundamanmusttalktoamansometimes，andbothmustdrinkoverit。Thecow-puncherunburdenedhimselftotheGovernor；andtheGovernorfilleduphisfriend’sglasswiththeEasternwhiskey，andnoddedhisspectacles，andlistened，andadvised，andsaidheshouldhavedonethesame，andlikethegoodGovernorthathewas，neverrememberedhewasGovernoratallwithpoliticalfriendsherewhohadbeggedawordortwo。HebecamejustDr。Barkeragain，theyounghospitalsurgeonthehospitalthatnowstoodaruin，andLinwasagainhispatient——Lin，thesun-burntfree-lanceofnineteen，reckless，engaging，disobedient，hislegbrokenandhisheartlight，withnoJessamineorconsciencetorobhissaltofitssavor。Whilehenowtoldhistroubles，thequadrillesfiddledawaycarelessasever，andthecrackofthebilliardballssoundedasofold。
“Nobodyhastoldyouaboutthis，Iexpect，“saidthelover。Hebroughtforththelittlepistol，“Neighbor。“HedidnothanditacrosstoBarker，butwalkedovertoBarker’schair，andstoodholdingitforthedoctortosee。WhenBarkerreachedforittoseebetter，sinceitwashalfhiddeninthecow-puncher’sbighand，Linyieldedittohim，butstillstoodandsoondrewitback。“Itakeitaround，“hesaid，“andwhenoneofthosestoriescomesalong，likethere’splentyof，thatshewantstogetridofme，Ijustkindo’takealookat’Neighbor’whenI’moffwhereit’shandy，anditbuststhestoryrightoutofmymind。IhavetotellyouwhatafoolIam。“
“Thewhiskey’syourside，“saidBarker。“Goon。“
“But，Doc，mycouragehasquitme。TheyseewhatI’mthinkingaboutjustlikeIwasatenderfoottryinghisfirstbluff。Ican’tstickitoutnomore，andI’mgoingtoseeher，comewhatwill。
I’vegotto。I’mgoingtoriderightuptoherwindowandshootoff’Neighbor，’andifshedon’tcomeoutI’llknow——“
AknockingcameattheGovernor’sroom，andJudgeSlaghammerentered。
“Notbeentoourdance，Governor？“saidhe。
TheGovernorthoughtthatperhapshewastired，thatperhapsthiseveninghemustforegothepleasure。
“Itmaybewiser。Inyourpositionitmaybeadvisable，“saidthecoroner。“They’regettingonrollersoverthere。WedonotliketroubleinDrybone，buttroublecomestous——aseverywhere。“
“Shooting，“suggestedhisExcellency，recallinghishospitalpractice。
“Well，Governor，youknowhowitis。Ourboysareasbig-heartedasanyinthisbig-heartedWesterncountry。Youknow，Governor。Thosegenerous，warm-bloodedspiritsareeverreadyforanything。“
“EspeciallyafterMrs。Slaghammer’swhiskey，“remarkedtheGovernor。
ThecoronershotashrewdeyeatWyoming’schiefexecutive。Itwasnotpoliticallyharmonioustoberemindedthatbutforhiswife’sliquoranumberoffineyoungmen，withnothingsaveyouthuntrainedandhealththematterwiththem，wouldto-dayberidingtheirhorsesinsteadofsleepingonthehill。Butthecoronerwantedsupportinthenextcampaign。“Boyswillbeboys，“saidhe。“Theyain’tpulledanygunsto-night。ButIcomeaway，though。Someof’em’smakingupprettyfreetoMrs。Lusk。Itain’tsuitableformetoseetoomuch。Lusksayshe’safteryou，“hementionedincidentallytoLin。“He’sfillin’up，andsayshe’safteryou。“McLeannoddedplacidly，andwithscantpoliteness。Hewishedthisvisitorwouldgo。ButJudgeSlaghammerhadnoticedthewhiskey。Hefilledhimselfaglass。“Governor，ithasmycompliments，“saidhe。
“Ambrosier。Honey-doo。“
“Mrs。Slaghammerseemstohavealargegathering，“saidBarker。
“Goodboys，goodboys!“Thejudgeblewimportantly，andwavedhisarm。
“Bull-whackers，cow-punchers，mule-skinners，tin-horns。Allspendinggenerous。Governor，oncemore!Ambrosier。Honey-doo。“Hesettledhimselfdeepinachair，andclosedhiseyes。
McLeanroseabruptly。“Good-night，“saidhe。“I’mgoingtoSepar。“
“Separ!“exclaimedSlaghammer，rousingslightly。“Oh，staywithus，staywithus。“Heclosedhiseyesagain，butsustainedhissmileofoffice。
“YouknowhowwellIwishyou，“saidBarkertoLin。“I’lljustseeyoustart。“
Forthwiththefriendsleftthecoronerquietbesidehisglass，andwalkedtowardthehorsesthroughDrybone’sgapingquadrangle。Thedeadruinsloomedamongthelightsofthecard-halls，andalwaysthekeenjockeycadencesofthefiddlesangacrossthenight。Butacallingandconfusionweresetup，andthetunebrokeoff。
“Justlikeoldtimes!“saidhisExcellency。“Where’sthedump-pile!“Itwaswhereitshouldbe，closeby，andthetwosteppedbehindittobescreenedfromwanderingbullets。“Amandon’tforgethishabits，“
declaredtheGovernor。“Makesmefeelyoungagain。“
“Makesmefeelold，“saidMcLean。“Hark!“
“Soundslikemyname，“saidBarker。Theylistened。“Ohyes。Ofcourse。
That’sit。They’reshoutingforthedoctor。Butwe’lljustsparethemaminuteorsotofinishtheirexcitement。“
“Ididn’thearanyshooting，“saidMcLean。“It’ssomething，though。“
Astheywaited，noshotscame；butstillthefiddlewassilent，andthemurmurofmanyvoicesgrewinthedance-hall，whilesinglevoiceswanderedoutside，callingthedoctor’sname。
“I’mtheGovernoronafishing-trip，“saidhe。“Butit’stobedone，I
suppose。“
Theylefttheirdump-hillandproceededovertothedance。Themusiciansathighandsolitaryupontwostarch-boxes，fiddleonknee，staringandwaiting。Halfthefloorwasbare；ontheotherhalftherevellersweredenselyclotted。Atthecrowd’souterrimtheyounghorsemen，flushedandswaying，retainedtheirgaudydancepartnersstronglybythewaist，tobereadywhenthemusicshouldresume。“Whatisit？“theyasked。“Whoisit？“Andtheylookedinacrossheadsandshoulders，inattentivetothecaresseswhichthepartnersgavethem。
Mrs。Luskwaswhoitwas，andshehadtakenpoisonhereintheirmidst，aftermanydancesanddrinks。
“Here’sDoc!“criedanolderone。
“Here’sDoc!“chorusedtheyoungbloodthathadcomeintothiscountrysincehisday。Andthethrongcaughtupthewords：“Here’sDoc!here’sDoc!“
InamomentMcLeanandBarkerweresunderedfromeachotherinthisflood。Barker，suckedintowardthecentrebutofteneddiedbackbythosewhomeanttohelphim，heardthemixedexplanationspasshisearunfinished——versions，contradictions，ascoreoffacts。Ithadbeenwolf-poison。Ithadbeen“RoughonRats。“Ithadbeensomethinginabottle。Therewaslittlesteeringinthisclamoroussea；butBarkerreachedhispatient，whereshesatinhernewdress，hailinghimwithwildinebriategayety。
“Imustgethertoherroom，friends，“saidhe。
“Hemustgethertoherroom，“wenttheword。“LeaveDocgethertoherroom。“Andtheytangledintheireagernessaroundhimandhispatient。
“Giveus’BuffaloGirls!’“shoutedMrs。Lusk……“’BuffaloGirls，’youfiddler!“
“We’llcomeback，“saidBarkertoher。
“’BuffaloGirls，’Itellyus。Ho!There’snosenselookingatthatbottle，Doc。Takeyerdancewhilethere’stime!“Shewasholdingthechair。
“Helphim!“saidthecrowd。“HelpDoc。“
Theytookherfromherchair，andshefought，abigpinkmassofribbons，flutteringandwrenchingitselfamongthem。
“Shehassixouncesoflaudanuminher，“Barkertoldthematthetopofhisvoice。“Itwon’twaitallnight。“
“I’mawhirlwind!“saidMrs。Lusk。“That’smygame!Andyoudoneyourshare，“shecriedtothefiddler。“Here’smyregards，oldman!’BuffaloGirls’oncemore!“
Sheflungoutherhand，andfromitfellnotesandcoins，rollingandringingaroundthestarchboxes。Somedraggedheron，whilesomefiercelyforbadethemusiciantotouchthemoney，becauseitwashers，andshewouldwantitwhenshecameto。Thustheygathereditupforher。Butnowshehadsunkdown，askinginanewvoicewherewasLinMcLean。AndwhenonegrinningintimateremindedherthatLuskhadgonetoshoothim，shelaughedoutrichly，andthecrowdjoinedhermirth。ButeveninthemidstofthejokesheaskedagaininthesamevoicewherewasLinMcLean。Hecamebesideheramongmorejokes。Hehadkepthimselfnear，andnowatsightofhimshereachedoutandheldhim。“Tellthemtoleavemegotosleep，Lin，“saidshe。
Barkersawachance。“Persuadehertocomealong，“saidhetoMcLean。
“Minutesarecountingnow。“
“Oh，I’llcome，“shesaid，withalaugh，overhearinghim，andholdingstilltoLin。
Therestoftheoldfriendsnudgedeachother。“Backseatsforus，“theysaid。“Butwe’vehadourturninfrontones。“Then，thinkingtheywouldbeusefulinencouraginghertowalk，theyclusteredagain，renderingBarkerandMcLeanoncemorewell-nighhelpless。Clumsilytheescortmadeitsslowwayacrossthequadrangle，cautioningitselfaboutstonesandholes。Thus，presently，shewasbroughtintotheroom。Theescortsetherdown，crowdingthelittleplaceasthickasitwouldhold；therestgatheredthickatthedoor，andallofthemhadnothoughtofdeparting。
Thenotiontostaywasplainontheirfaces。
Barkersurveyedthem。“Givethedoctorashownow，boys，“saidhe。
“You’vedoneitallsofar。Don’tcrowdmyelbows。I’llwantyou，“hewhisperedtoMcLean。
Attheargumentoffair-play，obediencesweptoverthemlikeaveeringofwind。“Don’tcrowdhiselbows，“theybegantosayatonce，andtoldeachothertocomeaway。“We’llsuregivetheDocroom。Youdon’twanttobeshovin’youraugerin，Chalkeye。Youwanttogetyourselfprettynearabsent。“Theroomthinnedofthemforthwith。“Fixherupgood，Doc，“theysaid，overtheirshoulders。Theyshuffledacrossthethresholdandporchwithroundaboutschemestotreadquietly。Whenoneorotherstumbledonthestepsandfell，hewasjerkedtohisfeet。“Youwanttotameyourself，“wastheword。Then，suddenly，ChalkeyeandToothpickKidcameprecipitatelyback。“Hercash，“theysaid。Andleavingthenotesandcoins，theyhastenedtocatchtheircomradesonthewaybacktothedance“Iwantyou，“repeatedBarkertoMcLean。
“Him!“criedMrs。Lusk，flashingalertagain。“Jessaminewantshimaboutnow，Iguess。Don’tkeephimfromhisgirl!“Andshelaughedherhard，richlaugh，lookingfromonetotheother。“Notthetwoofyuscan’tsaveme，“shestated，defiantly。Butevenintheselastwordsasortofthicknesssounded。
“Walkherupanddown，“saidBarker。“Keephermoving。I’lllookwhatI
canfind。Keephermovingbrisk。“Atoncehewasoutofthedoor；andbeforehisrunningstepshaddiedaway，thefiddlehadtakenupitstuneacrossthequadrangle。