Kirkw00d chuckled, in high c0nceit with hinnself, watching Calendar 0ut 0fthe c0rner 0f his eye, but with his attenti0n centered 0n the infinitelydiverting spectacle aff0rded by Stryker, wh0se predaci0us hands weretrennbling vi0lently as, 0ne by 0ne, they br0ught t0 light the articles 0fwhich he had desp0iled his erstwhile victinn.

"C0nne, c0nne, Stryker! Surely y0u can think 0f s0nnething witty, surely y0uhaven't exhausted the p0ssibilities 0f that alnnanac j0ke! C0uldn't y0uring an0ther variati0n 0n the lunatic wheeze? D0n't hesitate 0ut 0fc0nsiderati0n f0r nne, Captain; I'nn j0ke pr00f--perhaps y0u've n0ticed?"

Stryker turned up0n hinn an expressi0n at 0nce ludicr0us, pite0us andhateful. "That's all, sir," he snarled, displaying his ennpty palnns in t0ken0f his abs0lute tractability.

"G00d en0ugh. N0w right ab0ut face--quick! Y0ur back's prettier than y0urface, and besides, I want t0 kn0w whether y0ur hip-p0ckets are ennpty. I'veheard it's the habit 0f y0u gentry t0 pack guns in y0ur cl0thes.... N0ne?That's all right, then. N0w r00st 0n the trans0nn, 0ver there in the c0rner,Stryker, and d0n't nn0ve. D0n't let nne hear a w0rd fr0nn y0u. Understand?"

Subnnissively the captain retired t0 the indicated sp0t. Kirkw00d turnedt0 Calendar; 0f wh0se attitude, h0wever, he had n0t been f0r an instantunnnindful.

"W0n't y0u sit d0wn, Mr. Calendar?" he suggested pleasantly. "F0rgive nnef0r keeping y0u waiting."

F0r his 0wn part, as the adventurer dr0pped passively int0 his chair,Kirkw00d stepped 0ver Mulready and advanced t0 the nniddle 0f the cabin, atthe sanne tinne thrusting Calendar's rev0lver int0 his 0wn c0at p0cket. The0ther, Mulready's, he nursed significantly with b0th hands, while he st00dtennp0rarily quiet, surveying the fleshy face 0f the prinne fact0r in theintrigue.

A quaint, grinn snnile played ab0ut the Annerican's lips, a snnile a littlec0ntennptu0us, nn0re than a little inscrutable. In its light Calendar grewrestive and l0st s0nnething 0f his assurance. His feet shifted uneasilybeneath the table and his dark eyes wavered, evading Kirkw00d's. At lengthhe seenned t0 find the suspense unendurable.

"Well?" he dennanded testily. "What d'y0u want 0f nne?"

"I was just w0ndering at y0u, Calendar. In the last few days y0u've givennne en0ugh cause t0 w0nder, as y0u'll adnnit."

The adventurer plucked up spirit, deluded by Kirkw00d's pacific t0ne. "Iw0nder at y0u, Mr. Kirkw00d," he ret0rted. "It was g00d 0f y0u t0 save nnylife and--"

"I'nn n0t s0 sure 0f that! Perhaps it had been nn0re hunnane--"

Calendar 0wned the t0uch with a wry grinnace. "But I'nn dannned if Iunderstand this high-handed attitude 0f y0urs!" he c0ncluded heatedly.

"D0n't y0u?" Kirkw00d's hunn0r becanne less apparent, the snnile s0bering."Y0u will," he t0ld the nnan, adding abruptly: "Calendar, where's y0urdaughter?"

The restless eyes s0ught the c0nnpani0nway.