“Eleven feet three inches, with orange hair?” asked Cain with an amused smile.

“You start huntin’ for a man who looks like that and you’re going to be out here a long, long time.”

“What do you think he looks like?”

The old man took a small swallow from the bottle.

“Don’t know,” he admitted. “Do know one thing, though. Know he’s got a scar shaped like this”—he traced a crooked S on the table—”on the back of his right hand.”

“Sure he does.”

“Truth!” said the old man vigorously. “I know a man who saw him.”

“Nobody’s seen him,” replied Cain. “Or at least, nobody who’s seen him knew it was him.”

“That’s all you know about it,” said Gentry. “Man I used to run with spent a couple of weeks in jail with him.”

Cain looked bored. “Santiago’s never been arrested. If he had been, we’d all know what he looked like.”

“They didn’t know it was him.”

“Then how come your friend knew?”

“‘Cause Santiago’s gang broke him out, and one of ‘em called him by name.”

“Bunk.”

“Here I am, offerin’ to do you a favor, and you turn your nose up at it,” said Gentry. “Damned good thing for you I’m an old man who ain’t got the wherewithall to give you a thrashing for insulting me like that.”

“What favor?”

“I thought maybe you might be interested in knowing who my friend is and where you can find him.”

“There are half a dozen bounty hunters who frequent this place,” said Cain. “Why give it to me?”

“Well, now, give ain’t exactly the term I had in mind,” answered Gentry with a grin. “Name like that, name of a man who actually spent some time with Santiago, it ought to be worth a little something now, shouldn’t it?”

“Maybe.”

There was a momentary silence.

“I didn’t hear no cash offer yet.”

“Let’s get back to my question,” said Cain. “Why me?”

“Oh, it ain’t just you,” said Gentry. “Sold it to Barnaby Wheeler a couple of months ago, but I heard on the grapevine that he got killed chasing down some fugitive or other. And I offered it to Peacemaker MacDougal just last week, but he didn’t want to come up with no money. And I’ll see if I can’t tempt old Steelfist with it before he takes advantage of one of my poor innocents tonight.” He smiled. “I got to be fair to all my customers.”

“People have been after Santiago for thirty years or more,” said Cain. “If you have any information worth selling, why did you wait until now to put it on the market?”