Meantime, if you want something to do to keep you
busy, practise making speeches--you ought to be ashamed to be punching
cows an' working for a living when you could use yore talents an' get a
lot of graft besides. Any man who can say as much on nothing as you
can ought to be in the Senate representing some railroad company or
waterpower steal--you don't have to work there, just loaf an' take
easy money for cheating the people what put you there. Now, don't get
mad--I'm only stringing you: I wouldn't be mean enough to call you a
senator. To tell the truth, I think yo're too honest to even think of
such a thing. But go ahead an' practise--_I_ don't mind it a bit."
"Huh! I couldn't go to Congress," laughed Fisher. "I'd have to practise
by getting elected mayor of some town an' then go to the Legislature for
the finishing touches."
"Mr. Townsend would beat you out," murmured the stranger, looking out of
the window and wishing for noon. He sauntered over to a chair, placed
it where he could see his horse, and took things easy. The bartender
returned with several men at his heels, and all were grinning and
joking. They took up their places against the bar and indulged in
frequent fits of chuckling, not letting their eyes stray from the man in
the chair and the open street through the door, where the auction was
to be held.
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