y and instantly. "That's
what I saw as I watched you from the window, arguing with your fr--your
acquaintance. The whole world is full of box-fighters who box. You'll
look years and years, however, before you'll find one who will fight."

Blue Jeans had learned to make his decisions quickly, and to abide
later by their results without complaint. Swift and sudden, that was
the better way. But here was no step to be taken ill-considered. He
wasn't sick of cowpunching; he hadn't had half enough of it; he'd never
have enough. But he was sick of punching other men's cattle. And he'd
been maturing lately, getting full-grown ideas into his head. There
wasn't any future for him, or for any man, hellin' around the country.
But if a man was to settle down,--that was the Dream!

And he knew the place,--back of Big Thumb Butte. Good pasture; not too
big, but enough for any bunch he was ever likely to own. Some fence;
some buildings; both in a sad state but reclaimable by a handy man.
And water! The finest water in all the country, and it never failed.
And cheap! Cheap if one kept one's mind on relative values and off
one's own financial troubles; cheap if one didn't pause to recollect
that six bits, at the moment, would have been a prohibitive price.

He'd got his eye on that place lately; that's why he had tried so hard
with the Dee & Zee; that's why he had been over-anxious at poker. He'd
even figured how, by being saving and eating nothing to speak of and
drinking nothing at all, he could save up half the price in about
twenty years. But he'd be old in twenty years, past forty, and
tottering and toothless without doubt. Unless Opportunity--_was_ this
Opportunity?

He didn't like that game--not much--not at all! But, then, he didn't
know much about it; he could judge only by externals, by the clique who
made it their profession. And he'd liked none of them any better than
he did this huge Easterner standing before him, waiting for an answer.

But if this was Opportunity--he didn't have to mix--he could herd by
himself, as he had at the Dee & Zee. And it was the best water in the
county, and somebody, pretty soon, was going to see the possibilities
in that valley and snap it up. And then where'd he be? He wanted to
become a solid citizen; he wanted to amount to something _now_.

He raised a chill, gray-green eye.

"You can say on," he gave leave calmly.

But the huge man drew a slip of cardboard from h