suddenly, and fire both revolvers
over his shoulders, putting the two bullets within an inch of each
other. "That's for use when a man is sneaking onto you from behind," he
explained. "I never used it but once, but it saved my life." He could
fire two shots before Mose could get his pistol from his holster. "A gun
is of no use, youngster, unless you can get it into action before the
other man. Sling your holster in front and tie it down when you're going
to war, and never let a man come to close quarters with you. The secret
of success is to be just a half second ahead of the other man. It saves
blood, too."

His hands were quick and sure as the rattlesnake's black, forked tongue.
He seemed not to aim--he appeared to shoot from his fist rather than
from the extended weapon, and when he had finished Mose said:

"I'm much obliged, Mr. Delmar; I see I didn't know the a b c's--but you
try me again in six months."

The sheepman smiled. "You've got the stuff in you, youngster. If you
ever get in a serious place, and I'm in reaching distance, let me know
and I'll open a way out for you. Meanwhile, I can make use of you as you
are. I need another man. My Mexicans are no company for me. Come over
and help me; I'll pay you well and you can have the same fare that I eat
myself. I get lonesome as the old boy."

Thus it came about that Mose, without realizing it, became that
despised, forlorn thing, a sheep herder. He made a serious social
mistake when he "lined up" with the truck farmers, the tenderfeet and
the "greaser" sheep herders, and cut out "a great gob of trouble" for
himself in Cheyenne County.

He admired Delmar most fervidly, and liked him. There was a quality in
his speech which appealed to the eagle's heart in the boy. The Pratts no
longer interested him; they had settled down into farmers. They had
nothing for him to do but plow and dig roots, for which he had no love.
He had not ridden into this wild and splendid country to bend his back
over a spade. One day he accepted Delmar's offer and rode home to get
his few little trinkets and to say good-by.

Another reason why he had accepted Delmar's offer lay in the growing
annoyance of Jennie's courtship. She made no effort to conceal her
growing passion. She put herself in his way and laid hands on him with
unblushing frankness. Her love chatter wearied him beyond measure, and
he became cruelly short and evasive. Her speech grew sillier as she lost
her tomboy int