The taunt stung Old Heck while it called out a suppressed snicker from the cowboys who were with Dorsey and the loafers in the pool-room.

" One cannot wonder that Charming Billy heard thankfully the clatter of his outfit arriving, or that he left half his piece of pie uneaten and hurried off, on the plea that he must show them what to dowhich would have caused a snicker among the men if they had overheard him.

" The suggestion of Stoddard's making advances of unseemly warmth to Mandy Meacham produced a subdued snicker.