146 THE LOG OF A TIMBER CRUISER 



taken us three days to make it in to Hillsboro. No 

 sooner we got unpacked than Ewing hikes over to 

 the saloon like he was snakebit an' starts a-hittin' 

 her up. 



"I went along behine and taken a few drinks with 

 him. Afterward I done what I could to git him to 

 quit, but t'warn't no use. So I went over to the 

 hotel an' et supper. 



"When I come back they done got Ewing into 

 a poker game. He was drinkin' right smart of 

 whiskey, but didn't seem to be drunk noways bad. 

 An' he was sure playin' cyards. 



"They was five in th' game, Harry Mallory, th' 

 tin-horn, Jim Riggs and Stub Whitcomb, from over 

 to th' Bar 6 Ranch, Jasper Hudson, an' Ewing. 

 Ewing was a-workin' 'em over proper. 



"As I come in they was jest drawin' cyards for 

 a jackpot. 



"Ewing looked at his hand an' opened her for 

 five dollars. He shoved in a stack of blue chips 

 a cat couldn't jump over, an' jest then I seen a 

 stranger step in kind of easy like and walk up be- 

 hind Swing's chair, lookin' at his hand over his 

 shoulder. 



"That's all he done, jest looked over his shoulder 

 an' stepped back a little, smilin'. But he sure give 

 me the creeps. He was jest a common cowpuncher, 

 anybody could see that. Only his face looked plumb 

 onhealthy, kinder white an' shiny in the lamp light. 



