windin' up the works regular and seein' that she ticks right, and
once in a while chuckin' out old wheels and puttin' in new ones. Jest
take a look at them stars! Do you reckon they're runnin' right on time
and not jumpin' the track and dodgin' each other that slick--jest
because they was throwed out of a star-factory promiscus like a shovel
of gravel? No, sir! Each one is doin' its stunt because the other one
is--same as folks. Sure, there's somethin' runnin the big works; but
whether me or you is goin' to get a look-in,--goin' to be let in on
it,--why, that's different."

Winthrop drew back from the fire and crossed his legs. He leaned
forward, gazing at the flames. From the viewless distance came the howl
of coyotes.

"They're tryin' to figure it out--same as us," said Overland, poking a
half-burned root into the fire. "And they're gettin' about as far along
at it, too. Like most folks does in a crowd--jest howlin' all together.
Mebby it sounds good to 'em. I don' know."

"I'm somewhat of a scoffer, I think," said Winthrop presently.

"Most lungers is," was Overland's cheerful comment. "They're sore on
their luck. They ain't really sore at the big works. They only think so.
I've knowed lots of 'em that way."

"To-night,--here in this canon,--with the stars and the desert so near,
you almost persuade me that there is something."

"Hold on, Billy! You're grazin' on the wrong side of the range if you
think I'm preachin'. My God! I hate preachin' worse than I could hate
hell if I thought they was one. My little old ideas is mine. I roped 'em
and branded 'em and I'm breakin' 'em in to ride to suit me. I ain't
askin' nobody to risk gettin' throwed ridin' any of my stock. Sabe?"

"But a chap may peek through the fence and watch, mayn't he?"

"Sure! Mebby you're breakin' some stock of your own like that. If you
are, any little old rig I got is yours."

"Thank you. And I'm not joking. Perhaps I'll get the right grip on
things later. I've been used to town and the pace. I've always had
money, but I never felt really clean, inside and out, until now. I
never before burned my bridges and went it under my own flag."

Overland nodded sagely. "Uhuh. It's the air. Your feelin' clean and
religious-like is nacheral up here. Don't worry if it feels queer to you
at first--you'll get used to it. Why, I quit cussin', myself, when
everything seems so dum' quiet. Sounds like the whole works had stopped
to listen to a fella. Swear