He kicked violently with
his spiked shoes, whereat the foreman bucked like a wild horse
under the spur and dropped him, and he staggered out of the
crowd, where a girl flew to him.
"Oh, Wally," she cried, "I knew you could!" He sank to the
ground, and she knelt beside him.
Skinner was propped against the corral fence opposite, his face
distorted with suffering, and Gallagher was rubbing his ankle.
"'Taint broke, I reckon," said Gallagher, rising. "I wish to hell
it was!" He stared disgustedly at his fallen champion, and added:
"We don't want y'all for a cook no more, Skinner. You never was
no good nohow." He turned to Helen and handed her a double
handful of bank-notes, as Berkeley Fresno buried his hands in his
pockets and walked away. "Here's your coin, miss. If ever you get
another hunch, let me know. An' here's yours, Mr. Speed; it's a
weddin'-present from the Centipede." He fetched a deep sigh.
"Thank the Lord we'll git somethin' fit to eat from now on!"
Speed staggered to Skinner, who was still nursing his injury, and
held out his hand, whereat the cook winked his left eye gravely.
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