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timidity arising from the contemplation of these facts had better be kept to
one's self。
All this passed rapidly through my mind as I returned his salutation。
〃Got any tobacco？〃 he asked。
I had； and signified the fact； holding up the pouch inquiringly。
〃All right； I'll come down。 Ride on； and I'll jine ye on the slide。〃
〃The slide！〃 Here was a new geographical discovery as odd as the
second trail。 I had ridden over the trail a dozen times； and seen no
communication between the ledge and trail。 Nevertheless； I went on a
hundred yards or so； when there was a sharp crackling in the underbrush； a
shower of stones on the trail； and my friend plunged through the bushes to
my side； down a grade that I should scarcely have dared to lead my horse。
There was no doubt he was an accomplished rider；another fact to be
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noted。
As he ranged beside me； I found I was not mistaken as to his size； he
was quite under the medium height； and but for a pair of cold； gray eyes；
was rather commonplace in feature。
〃You've got a good horse there；〃 I suggested。
He was filling his pipe from my pouch； but looked up a little surprised；
and said； 〃Of course。〃 He then puffed away with the nervous eagerness
of a man long deprived of that sedative。 Finally； between the puffs； he
asked me whence I came。
I replied； 〃From Lagrange。〃
He looked at me a few moments curiously； but on my adding that I had
only halted there for a few hours； he said： 〃I thought I knew every man
between Lagrange and Indian Spring； but somehow I sorter disremember
your face and your name。〃
Not particularly caring that he should remember either； I replied half
laughingly； that； as I lived the other side of Indian Spring； it was quite
natural。 He took the rebuff； if such it was； so quietly that as an act of
mere perfunctory politeness I asked him where he came from。
〃Lagrange。〃
〃And you are going to〃
〃Well！ that depends pretty much on how things pan out； and whether I
can make the riffle。〃 He let his hand rest quite unconsciously on the
leathern holster of his dragoon revolver； yet with a strong suggestion to me
of his ability 〃to make the riffle〃 if he wanted to； and added： 〃But just now
I was reck'nin' on taking a little pasear with you。〃
There was nothing offensive in his speech save its familiarity； and the
reflection； perhaps； that whether I objected or not； he was quite able to do
as he said。 I only replied that if our pasear was prolonged beyond
Heavytree Hill； I should have to borrow his beast。 To my surprise he
replied quietly； 〃That's so；〃 adding that the horse was at my disposal when
he wasn't using it； and HALF of it when he was。 〃Dick has carried
double many a time before this；〃 he continued； 〃and kin do it again； when
your mustang gives out I'll give you a lift and room to spare。〃
I could not help smiling at the idea of appearing before the boys at Red
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Gulch en croupe with the stranger； but neither could I help being oddly
affected by the suggestion that his horse had done double duty before。
〃On what occasion； and why？〃 was a question I kept to myself。 We were
ascending the long； rocky flank of the divide； the narrowness of the trail
obliged us to proceed slowly； and in file； so that there was little chance for
conversation； had he been disposed to satisfy my curiosity。
We toiled on in silence； the buckeye giving way to chimisal； the
westering sun； reflected again from the blank walls beside us； blinding our
eyes with its glare。 The pines in the canyon below were olive gulfs of
heat； over which a hawk here and there drifted lazily； or； rising to our level；
cast a weird and gigantic shadow of slowly moving wings on the mountain
side。 The superiority of the stranger's horse led him often far in advance；
and made me hope that he might forget me entirely； or push on； growing
weary of waiting。 But regularly he would halt by a bowlder； or reappear
from some chimisal； where he had patiently halted。 I was beginning to
hate him mildly； when at one of those reappearances he drew up to my
side； and asked me how I liked Dickens！
Had he asked my opinion of Huxley or Darwin； I could not have been
more astonished。 Thinking it were possible that he referred to some local
celebrity of Lagrange； I said； hesitatingly：
〃You mean〃
〃Charles Dickens。 Of course you've read him？ Which of his books
do you like best？〃
I replied with considerable embarrassment that I liked them all； as I
certainly did。
He grasped my hand for a moment with a fervor quite unlike his usual
phlegm； and said； 〃That's me； old man。 Dickens ain't no slouch。 You
can count on him pretty much all the time。〃
With this rough preface； he launched into a criticism of the novelist；
which for intelligent sympathy and hearty appreciation I had rarely heard
equaled。 Not only did he dwell upon the exuberance of his humor； but
upon the power of his pathos and the all…pervading element of his poetry。
I looked at the man in astonishment。 I had considered myself a rather
diligent student of the great master of fiction； but the stranger's felicity of
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quotation and illustration staggered me。 It is true； that his thought was
not always clothed in the best language； and often appeared in the
slouching； slangy undress of the place and period； yet it never was rustic
nor homespun； and sometimes struck me with its precision and fitness。
Considerably softened toward him； I tried him with other literature。 But
vainly。 Beyond a few of the lyrical and emotional poets； he knew
nothing。 Under the influence and enthusiasm of his own speech； he
himself had softened considerably； offered to change horses with me；
readjusted my saddle with professional skill； transferred my pack to his
own horse； insisted upon my sharing the contents of his whisky flask； and；
noticing that I was unarmed； pressed upon me a silver…mounted Derringer；
which he assured me he could 〃warrant。〃 These various offices of good
will and the diversion of his talk beguiled me from noticing the fact that
the trail was beginning to become obscure and unrecognizable。 We were
evidently pursuing a route unknown before to me。 I pointed out the fact
to my companion； a little impatiently。 He instantly resumed his old
manner and dialect。
〃Well； I reckon one trail's as good as another； and what hev ye got to
say about it？〃
I pointed out； with some dignity； that I preferred the old trail。
〃Mebbe you did。 But you're jiss now takin' a pasear with ME。 This
yer trail will bring you right into Indian Spring； and ONNOTICED； and no
questions asked。 Don't you mind now； I'll see you through。〃
It was necessary here