He probably knew they would not wait long for his consent, but in the first stages of the altercation it is not as a rule insuperably difficult for a fearless man to hold his own against an indignant company who have no definite notion of what they mean to do, and it was to cover his retreat he turned to Winston.
"And who the -- -- are you ?" he asked.
Winston smiled grimly.

"I guess you have heard of me.

Any way, there are a good many places in Montana where they know Lance Courthorne.
Quite sure I know a straight game when I see it!" The man's resistance vanished, but he had evidently been taught the necessity of making the best of defeat in his profession, and he laughed as he swept his glance around at the angry faces turned upon him.
"If you don't there's nobody does," he said.

"Still, as you've got my pistol and 'most dislocated my wrist, the least you can do is to get a partner out of this." There was an ominous murmur, and the lad's face showed livid with fury and humiliation, but Winston turned quietly to the hotel keeper.
"You will take this man with you into your side room and stop with him there," he said.

"Dane, give him the bills.