nd Banjo
traveled from ranch to ranch carrying cheer and entertainment with him
as he passed.

He had been doing that for years, having worked his way westward from
Nebraska with the big cattle ranches, and his art was his living.
Banjo's arrival at a ranch usually resulted in a dance, for which he
supplied the music, and received such compensation as the generosity
of the host might fix. Banjo never quarreled over such matters. All he
needed was enough to buy cigarettes and shirts.

Banjo seldom played in company with any other musician, owing to
certain limitations, which he raised to distinguishing virtues. He
played by "air," as he said, despising the unproficiency of all such
as had need of looking on a book while they fiddled. Knowing nothing
of transposition, he was obliged to tune his banjo--on those rare
occasions when he stooped to play "second" at a dance--in the key of
each fresh tune. This was hard on the strings, as well as on the
patience of the player, and Banjo liked best to go it single-handed
and alone.

When he heard that musicians were coming from Cheyenne--a day's
journey by train--to play for Nola's ball, his face told that he was
hurt, but his respect of hospitality curbed his words. He knew that
there was one appreciative ear in the mansion by the river that no
amount of "dago fiddlin'" ever would charm and satisfy like his own
voice with the banjo, or his little brown fiddle when it gave out the
old foot-warming tunes. Mrs. Chadron was his champion in all company,
and his friend in all places.

"Well, sakes alive! Banjo, I'm as tickled to see you as if you was one
of my own folks," she declared, her face as warm as if she had just
gorged on the hottest of hot dishes which her Mexican cook, Maggie,
could devise.

"I'm glad to be able to make it around ag'in, thank you, mom," Banjo
assured her, sentiment and soul behind the simple words. "I always
carry a warm place in my heart for Alamito wherever I may stray."

Nola frisked around and took the banjo from its green cover, talking
all the time, pushing and placing chairs, and settling Banjo in a
comfortable place. Then she armed him with the instrument, making
quite a ceremony of it, and asked him to play.

Banjo twanged the instrument into tune, hooked the toe of his left
foot behind the forward leg of his chair, and struck up a song which
he judged would please the young ladies. Of Mrs. Chadron he was sure;
she had laughed over it a h