," he said. Then he shrugged
his great shoulders. "Here, I'll tell you. I come from down East, and
I'm on my way to join a brother of mine at Rocky Springs. He's a
rancher. Sort of artist, too. His name's Charlie Bryant. My name's
Bill--Bill Bryant. Well, I ought to have got off at Black Cross, and
changed trains for the Amberley branch. Instead of that I was sleeping
peacefully in the car and went right on to a place called Moosemin.
Well, some torn fool told me if I got off at Moosemin I would get
across country to Amberley, and thus get on to the Rocky Springs road.
Maybe he was right enough, if the feller getting off had got any horse
sense. But I guess they forgot to hand any out my way. Anyhow, I kind
of took to the idea. Guessed I'd make a break that way and get used to
the country. So I just bought the best horse I could find in the town
from the worst thief that ever dodged penitentiary, and since then
have spent seven whole days getting on intimate terms with every blade
of grass in the country, and trying to convince various settlers that
I wasn't a murderer or horse thief, and didn't want to shoot 'em in
their beds, but just needed food and sleep, all of which I was ready
to pay for at any fancy prices they liked to ask. How I eventually got
here I don't know, and haven't a desire to know, and I'll stake my
oath you won't find any two people in the country with the same ideas
of direction. And I want to say that I hate grass worse than poison,
and as for sun it's an abomination. Horse riding's overrated, and
tailors don't know a thing about making pants that are comfortable
riding. I could write a book on the subject of boils and saddle
chafes, and when I get off this blamed saddle I don't intend to sit
down for a week. I think a rancher's life is just the dandiest thing
to read about I ever knew, and beans--those things the shape of an
immature egg and as hard as rocks--are most nourishing; and I don't
think I shall need nourishing ever again. Also the West is the
greatest country ever forgotten by God or men, but the remark applies
only to its size. The best thing I know of, just now, is a full-sized
human being going the same way I am."

Bill Bryant finished up with a great laugh of the happiest good
nature, which quite robbed Fyles of his last shadow of aloofness. No
one could have looked into the man's humorously smiling eyes, or
listened to the frank admissions of his own blundering, and felt it
neces