slant-eyed beast, larger
than the average, with rangy limbs, black in color with a white muzzle
and fetlocks. Hollis voted him a "beaut" after he had ridden him a mile
or two and found that he had an easy, steady stride.

Together they made a round of the basin, returning to the ranchhouse for
dinner. Hollis was saddle weary and when Norton proposed another trip
during the afternoon he was met with the response that the new owner
purposed enjoying the cool of the ranchhouse porch for the remainder of
the day.

The next morning Hollis was up with the dawn and out on the porch
splashing water over his face from the wash basin that stood outside the
door. For a long time after washing he stood on the porch, looking out
over the big basin at this new and strange world. Endless it seemed,
lying before him in its solemn silence; a world of peace, of eternal
sunlight, smiling skies, and infinite distance. It seemed unreal to him.
Did this same planet hold the busy cities to which he had been
accustomed? The stuffy room, with its smell of damp ink, its litter of
papers--his room in the newspaper offices, filled with desks and the
clatter of typewriters? Through whose windows came the incessant clamor
that welled up from the streets below? He laughed at the thought and
turned to see Norton standing in the doorway looking at him with a
smile.

"Comparin' her with your little old East?" inquired the latter.

Hollis confessed that he had been doing something of that sort.

"Well," returned Norton, "there ain't any way to compare this country
with anything else. Seems as though when the world was made the Lord had
a few million miles left which he didn't know what to do with an' so he
just dumped it down out here. An' then, havin' business somewhere else
about that time he forgot about it an' left it to get along as best it
could--which wasn't none too rapid."

This conversation had taken place just twelve days ago, yet Norton's
words still remained fresh in Hollis's mind. Yet he did not altogether
agree with Norton. The West had impressed him far more than he cared to
admit.

This morning, directly after breakfast Hollis and Norton had saddled
their horses and ridden out of the basin toward the river, into a
section of the country that Hollis had not yet explored. Emerging from
the basin, they came to a long, high ridge. On its crest Norton halted.
Hollis likewise drew in his pony. From here they could see a great
stretch