You got to take your gun off fifteen minutes after you get in from the road and you can't put it on till fifteen minutes before you take the road again." "Is that--er--police regulations or state law ?" "State law--and has been any time these twenty-five years.

Say, you doddering old fool, what do you think this is--a night school ?" "I--I guess I'll go to bed," said Pringle miserably.
"I--I guess if you come back I'll throw you out," mimicked Ben with a guffaw.
Pringle made no answer.

He shuffled into the hall and up the stairway to his bedroom.

He unlocked the door noisily; he opened it noisily; he took his sixshooter and belt from the wall quietly and closed the door, noisily again; he locked it--from the outside.

Then he did a curious thing; he sat down very gently and removed his boots.
* * * * * The four in the barroom listened, grinning.