XXXII / 174
THE BON VIVANT's COMPANION
with the secret locked in his breast. But the undoing of the
robbers had not exhausted Professor Thomas's powers of
invention, as the customers of the El Dorado learned a few
days later, when there came into the saloon a bewhiskered
giant laden with gold dust and with three layers of pistols
strapped about his middle. He had been many months in
the mines and was fit to be tied; he yearned for adventure,
and loudly proclaimed that whiskey was a beverage for
nursing infants, and boasted that the only way a distillery
could down him would be to fall upon him.
"Bar-keep!"he roared."Fix me up some hell-fire that'll
shake me right down to my gizzard!"
Professor Thomas surveyed him calmly and shrewdly esti
mated his capacity, which was obviously abnormal. He
realized that here, at last, was a man worthy of his steel.
"Come back in an hour," he said."I shall have some
thing for you then."
The bewhiskered giant, who was also booted,stamped out
of the saloon, and Professor Thomas retired to the back
room. His reputation, he realized, was at stake; if he did
not produce something which would take the roar out of the
Colossus, all would be lost, even honor. So he grappled with
the problem,and within an hour emerged, his brow wrinkled
by furrows from the violence of his effort but with a mag
nificent idea sizzling and crackling in his brain. A deep
silence fell upon the crowded barroom as the Professor,
looking neither to the right nor to the left, moved slowly
into position behind the bar, and with great care took from
their places in a special rack two silver mugs, with handles.
These were the show utensils of the El Dorado, for they
had been imported from New York at great expense, and
the mere fact that they were being handled was sufficient
to indicate that something of importance impended. Care
fully setting the mugs upon the bar. Professor Thomas
twirled his great mustache and turned to his audience,
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