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The fight was soon over, and Ben and Jack slipped quietly back into the
ballroom, leaving a well-thrashed crowd to stanch bloody noses, and
patch up swollen lips and black eyes as best they could.
Meanwhile, a diversion had been created in the hall by the joshing that
the Suggs' ranch outfit had directed toward the fiddler, who knew only
one tune, and sawed that off for a waltz, quadrilles, and two-steps,
without fear or favor.
The musician had been engaged because he was a friend of the
beneficiary, and had volunteered his services. As the ball grew more and
more hilarious the cow-punchers felt the restraint of the folks from the
fort and Moon Valley the less, and began to take it out of the fiddler,
who paid no attention to them, but kept on scraping.
Suddenly there was a crack from a revolver and the top of the fiddler's
bow was knocked off, and the playing and dancing stopped simultaneously.
There was more or less commotion, but the women did not scream or get
panic-stricken. They were used to that sort of thing.


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