no time in getting my weary mount into Mr. Wright's little stable. And
then I sat down, with several other gentlemen, at Mr. Wright's board,
where there was much guessing as to Major Cozby's plan.

"No other man west of the mountains could have calmed that crowd after
that young daredevil Temple had stirred them up," declared Mr. Wright.

I ventured to say that I had business with Mr. Temple.

"Faith, then, I will invite him here," said my host. "But I warn you,
Mr. Ritchie, that he is a trigger set on the hair. If he does not fancy
you, he may quarrel with you and shoot you. And he is in no temper to be
trifled with to-day."

"I am not an easy person to quarrel with," I answered.

"To look at you, I shouldn't say that you were," said he. "We are going
to the court-house, and I will see if I can get a word with the young
Hotspur and send him to you. Do you wait here."

I waited on the porch as the day waned. The tumult of the place had died
down, for men were gathering in the houses to discuss and conjecture.
And presently, sauntering along the street in a careless fashion, his
spurs trailing in the dust, came Nicholas Temple. He stopped before the
house and stared at me with a fine insolence, and I wondered whether I
myself had not been too hasty in reclaiming him. A greeting died on my
lips.

"Well, sir," he said, "so you are the gentleman who has been dogging me
all day."