THE MAN WHO TOOK WATER
in him. I wish Sage would run over here. I'm half-minded to ride over to Red River and throw out a dark hint to him."
But I own I saw nothing in Ben Williams to make me agree with Colonel Webb. I was younger than the Colonel, and didn't know he knew more than I did. I said so, and old Webb smiled.
"When you're seventy-three, my son, you'll run up agin a power of young men that knows a blame sight more'n you do. And I'm prophesyin' here and now you won't agree with 'em any. I think, yes I do, that I'll ride over to Red River. I'm very much fatigued by thishyer Ben Williams, and I'd sure grieve to see him shoot up Bob White. Bob's a clever boy, so he is. There's the makin's of a fine man in Bob. And there's the makin's of a fine corpse in Ben. I'd fair admire to see Ben a corpse. I tell you what, Charlie, this comes because no one cowhided him when he was young. He brags he was never put down in his life, never took water, not even from his old Dad. He'd make a handsome dead desperado, so he would."
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