ny
GOODNESS, it is TRAMPAS that badness has resulted from. Put him anywhere
and it will be the same. Put him under my eye, and I can follow his
moves a little, anyway. You have noticed, maybe, that since you and I
run on to that dead Polled Angus cow, that was still warm when we got
to her, we have found no more cows dead of sudden death. We came mighty
close to catchin' whoever it was that killed that cow and ran her calf
off to his own bunch. He wasn't ten minutes ahead of us. We can prove
nothin'; and he knows that just as well as we do. But our cows have all
quit dyin' of sudden death. And Trampas he's gettin' ready for a change
of residence. As soon as all the outfits begin hirin' new hands in the
spring, Trampas will leave us and take a job with some of them. And
maybe our cows'll commence gettin' killed again, and we'll have to take
steps that will be more emphatic--maybe."

Scipio meditated. "I wonder what killin' a man feels like?" he said.

"Why, nothing to bother yu'--when he'd ought to have been killed. Next
point: Trampas he'll take Shorty with him, which is certainly bad for
Shorty. But it's me that has kept Shorty out of harm's way this long. If
I had fired Trampas, he'd have worked Shorty into dissatisfaction that
much sooner."

Scipio meditated again. "I knowed Trampas would pull his freight," he
said. "But I didn't think of Shorty. What makes you think it?"

"He asked me for a raise."

"He ain't worth the pay he's getting now."

"Trampas has told him different."

"When a man ain't got no ideas of his own," said Scipio, "he'd ought to
be kind o' careful who he borrows 'em from."

"That's mighty correct," said the Virginian. "Poor Shorty! He has told
me about his life. It is sorrowful. And he will never get wise. It was
too late for him to get wise when he was born. D' yu' know why he's
after higher wages? He sends most all his money East."

"I don't see what Trampas wants him for," said Scipio.

"Oh, a handy tool some day."

"Not very handy," said Scipio.

"Well, Trampas is aimin' to train him. Yu' see, supposin' yu' were
figuring to turn professional thief--yu'd be lookin' around for a nice
young trustful accomplice to take all the punishment and let you take
the rest."

"No such thing!" cried Scipio, angrily. "I'm no shirker." And then,
perceiving the Virginian's expression, he broke out laughing. "Well," he
exclaimed, "yu' fooled me that time."

"Looks that way. But I do mean it abo