He allowed himself a moment in which to collect his wits, then he opened slightly the desk drawer in which he kept his revolver and gave instructions to admit the caller.
Nelson revolved slowly in his chair; he stared curiously at the newcomer, and his voice was cold, unfriendly, as he said: "This is quite a surprise, Gray." "Not wholly unexpected, I hope." "Entirely! I knew you were in Texas, but I hardly expected you to present yourself here." Gray seated himself.

For a moment the two men eyed each other, the one stony, forbidding, suspicious, the other smiling, suave, apparently frank.
"To what am I indebted for this--_honor ?_" Nelson inquired, with a lift of his lip.
"My dear Colonel, would you expect me to come to Wichita Falls without paying my respects to my ranking officer, my immediate superior ?" "Bosh! All that is over, forgotten." "Forgotten ?" The caller's brows arched incredulously.

"You are a busy and a successful man; the late war lives in your mind only as a disagreeable memory to be banished as quickly as possible, but--" Henry Nelson stirred impatiently.

"Come! Come! Don't let's waste time." "-- but I retain distinct recollections of our Great Adventure, and always shall." "That means, I infer, that you refuse to close the chapter ?" As if he had not heard this last remark, Gray continued easily: "It is a selfish motive that brings me here.

I come to crow.