Shortly it became boastful of the northern, and then of the man who uttered it.
He swaggered up and down, becoming always the more insolent as his challenge remained untaken.
"Why don't you take him up ?" inquired the young man, after a moment.
"Not me!" negatived the other vigorously.

"I'll go yore little old gunfight to a finish, but I don't want any cold steel in mine.

Ugh! it gives me the shivers.

It's a reg'lar Mexican trick! With a gun it's down and out, but this knife work is too slow and searchin'." The newcomer said nothing, but fixed his eye again on the raging man with the knife.
"Don't you reckon he's bluffing ?" he inquired.
"Not any!" denied the other with emphasis.

"He's jest drunk enough to be crazy mad." The newcomer shrugged his shoulders and cast his glance searchingly over the fringe of the crowd.