without saying another word.
'You certainly calmed that situation down in a hurry, Marshal,' one of the bookkeepers said. 'Are you really Frank Morgan?'
'Yes.' Frank no longer wondered how so many people knew about him. He'd seen several of those penny dreadfuls and dime novels that had been written about him. Most of them were nothing but a pack of lies.
And he had never gotten a nickel for all the words in print about him.
'Have you really killed five hundred white men and a thousand Indians?' another office worker asked, his eyes big around.
Frank smiled. 'No. Nowhere even close to either number.'
'I do so hate to interfere in this moment of juvenile adoration,' said the young man who had first hailed Frank. 'But it's time for everybody to get back to work.'
Frank had just about had enough of the kid, and came very close to telling him where to stick his lousy attitude. The only thing that saved the moment was the miner who had just left. He came storming back inside, yelling and cussing.
'No man orders me around like I was some damn stray dog!' he hollered. 'Gunfighter or no, by God, let's see what you can do with your fists!'
He ran over and took a wild swing at Frank. Frank ducked the blow and stuck out one boot. The miner's forward momentum could not be halted in time, and he tripped over Frank's boot and went butt over elbows to the floor, landing with a tremendous thud. He yelled and cussed and got to his feet.
'You afraid to fight me kick, bite, and gouge, gunfighter?' he threw down the challenge.
'No,' Frank said calmly. 'But my warning still holds. Whatever this fight breaks, you pay for.'
'I boxed in college,' the haughty kid said. 'And I was quite good. Allow me to settle this dispute. I can do it rather quickly, I assure you.'
Frank and the miner looked at the young man, then at each other, and born suddenly burst out laughing, all animosity between them vanishing immediately.
'Are you laughing at me, you lumbering oaf?' the young man asked the miner.
Frank verbally stepped in. 'Boy, this isn't a boxing match with rules. Out here there _are_ no rules in a fight. It's kick, gouge, bite, and stomp. I don't think you understand.'
'I can take care of myself, Marshal. And I don't appreciate your interference.'
'Fine,' Frank said. 'Then by all means, jump right in, boy.'
It wasn't a long jump, and the young man didn't have but a few seconds to realize he had made a horrible mistake. He didn't even have time to get his feet planted and his dukes up before the big miner hit him twice, left and right. The young man bounced on the floor and didn't move.
The miner backed up and looked at Frank. 'What else could I do?'
'Nothing. He attacked you.' Frank knelt down and checked out the young man. He was all right, pulse strong and breathing normal. He was just unconscious, and probably would be for several minutes.
Frank stood up and told the miner, 'Get out of here and stay out of sight for a few days. You might want to hunt for another job.'
'I've 'bout had enough of this town, anyways,' the miner replied. 'At least for a while, even though I don't believe anyone's found the mother lode yet. It's out there. I know it is. I can feel it. But you're right. I'm gone for a while. No hard feelin's?'
'None at all.'
'See you around, Morgan.'
The miner left, and Frank looked at the office workers. They were all smiling, looking down at the young man sprawled unconscious on the floor. Frank was sure the kid was the son of Vivian -- had to be. And he wasn't well-liked, for a fact.
Suddenly there was a shout coming from the street, followed by several other very excited shouts. Someone yelled, 'They found it! Found it at the Henson mine. It's big. My God, it's big!'
'What's big?' Frank asked.
'They've hit another vein,' one of the office workers said. 'Has to be it. Our engineers said it was there. Said it was just a matter of time.'
'Who is this kid?' Frank asked, pointing to the young man on the floor, who was just beginning to moan and stir.
'Conrad Browning,' a man said. 'Mrs. Vivian L. Browning's son.'
'I thought so. Snooty, isn't he?'
'That's one way of putting it, for a fact.'
'Where is Mrs. Browning?'
'She should be along any moment now. She always comes in just at closing time to check on things.'
'Let's get Junior on his feet and walking around,' Frank suggested. 'If Mrs. Browning sees him like this she'll likely have a fit.'
'Doubtful,' an office worker said. 'Mrs. Browning is well aware of her son's predilection for haughtiness. Conrad has been a sour pickle all his life.'
