“There’snotellin’inthiscountry，“saidtheVirginian。“Folkscomeeasy，andtheygoeasy。Insettledplaces，likebackintheStates，evenapoormanmostlyhasahome。Don’tcareifit’sonlyabarrelonalot，thefello’willkeepfrequentin’thatlot，andifyu’wanthimyu’canfindhim。Butouthyehinthesage-brush，aman’shomeisapttobehissaddleblanket。Firstthingyu’know，hehasmovedittoTexas。“

“Youhavedonesomemovingyourself，“Isuggested。

Butthiswordclosedhismouth。“Ihavehadalookatthecountry，“hesaid，andweweresilentagain。Letme，however，tellyouherethathehadsetoutfora“lookatthecountry“attheageoffourteen；andthatbyhispresentageoftwenty-fourhehadseenArkansas，Texas，NewMexico，Arizona，California，Oregon，Idaho，Montana，andWyoming。Everywherehehadtakencareofhimself，andsurvived；norhadhisstrongheartyetwakeduptoanyhungerforahome。Letmealsotellyouthathewasoneofthousandsdriftingandlivingthus，but(asyoushalllearn)oneinathousand。

MedicineBowdidnotforeverremaininsight。WhennextIthoughtofitandlookedbehind，nothingwastherebuttheroadwehadcome；itlaylikeaship’swakeacrossthehugegroundswelloftheearth。Wewereswallowedireavastsolitude。Alittlewhilebeforesunset，acabincameinview；andherewepassedourfirstnight。Twoyoungmenlivedhere，tendingtheircattle。Theywerefondofanimals。Bythestableachainedcoyoterushednervouslyinacircle，orsatonitshaunchesandsnappedatgiftsoffoodungraciously。Atameyoungelkwalkedinandoutofthecabindoor，andduringsupperittriedtopushmeoffmychair。A

half-tamemountainsheeppractisedjumpingfromthegroundtotheroof。Thecabinwaspaperedwithpostersofacircus，andskinsofbearandsilverfoxlayuponthefloor。Untilnineo’clockonemantalkedtotheVirginian，andoneplayedgaylyuponaconcertina；andthenweallwenttobed。TheairwaslikeDecember，butinmyblanketsandabuffalorobeIkeptwarm，andluxuriatedintheRockyMountainsilence。Goingtowashbeforebreakfastatsunrise，Ifoundneedlesoficeinapail。Yetitwashardtorememberthatthisquiet，open，splendidwilderness(withnotapeakinsightjusthere)wassixthousandfeethigh。

AndwhenbreakfastwasovertherewasnoDecemberleft；andbythetimetheVirginianandIweretenmilesuponourway，itwasJune。ButalwayseverybreaththatIbreathedwaspureaswaterandstrongaswine。

Weneverpassedahumanbeingthisday。Somewildcattlerusheduptousandawayfromus；antelopestaredatusfromahundredyards；coyotesranskulkingthroughthesage-brushtowatchusfromahill；atournoonmealwekilledarattlesnakeandshotsomeyoungsagechickens，whichweregoodatsupper，roastedatourcampfire。

Byhalf-pasteightwewereasleepbeneaththestars，andbyhalf-pastfourIwasdrinkingcoffeeandshivering。Thehorse，Buck，washardtocatchthissecondmorning。Whethersomehillsthatwewerenowinhadexcitedhim，orwhetherthebetterwaterupherehadcausedaneffervescenceinhisspirits，Icannotsay。

ButIwasashotasJulybythetimewehadhimsafeinharness，or，rather，unsafeinharness。ForBuck，inthemysteriouslanguageofhorses，nowtaughtwickednesstohissidepartner，andabouteleveno’clocktheylaidtheirevilheadstogetheranddecidedtobreakournecks。

Wewerepassing，Ihavesaid，througharangeofdemi-mountains。

Itwasalittlecountrywheretreesgrew，waterran，andtheplainswereshutoutforawhile。Theroadhadsteepplacesinit，andplaceshereandtherewhereyoucouldfalloffandgoboundingtothebottomamongstones。ButBuck，forsomereason，didnotthinktheseopportunitiesgoodenoughforhim。Heselectedamoretheatricalmoment。Weemergedfromanarrowcanyonsuddenlyuponfivehundredcattleandsomecow-boysbrandingcalvesbyafireinacorral。ItwasasightthatBuckknewbyheart。Heinstantlytreateditlikeanappallingphenomenon。Isawhimkicksevenways；IsawMugginskickfiveways；ourfuriousmotionsnappedmyspinelikeawhip。Igraspedtheseat。Somethinggaveaforlornjingle。Itwasthebrake。

“Don’tjump！“commandedthetrustworthyman。

“No，“Isaid，asmyhatflewoff。

Helpwastoofarawaytodoanythingforus。Wepassedscathlessthroughapartofthecattle，Isawtheirhornsandbacksgoby。

Someearthcrumbled，andweplungeddownwardintowaterrockingamongstones，andupwardagainthroughsomemorecrumblingearth。

Iheardacrash，andsawmytrunklandinginthestream。

“She’ssaferthere，“saidthetrustworthyman。

“True，“Isaid。

“We’llgobackforher，“saidhe，withhiseyeonthehorsesandhisfootonthecrippledbrake。Adrygullywascoming，andnoroomtoturn。Thefarthersideofitwasterracedwithrock。Weshouldsimplyfallbackward，ifwedidnotfallforwardfirst。Hesteeredthehorsesstraightover，andjustatthebottomswungthem，withastonishingskill，totherightalongthehard-bakedmud。Theytookusalongthebeduptotheheadofthegully，andthroughathicketofquakingasps。Thelighttreesbentbeneathourchargeandbastinadoedthewagonasitwentoverthem。Buttheirbranchesenmeshedthehorses’legs，andwecametoaharmlessstandstillamongabowerofleaves。

Ilookedatthetrustworthyman，andsmiledvaguely。Heconsideredmeforamoment。

“Ireckon，“saidhe，“you’refeelin’abouthalfwaybetween’Oh，Lord！’and’ThankGod！’“

“That’squiteit，“saidI，ashegotdownontheground。

“Nothing’sbroke，“saidhe，afterasearchingexamination。AndheindulgedinatrueVirginianexpletive。“Gentlemen，hush！“hemurmuredgently，lookingatmewithhisgraveeyes；“onetimeI

gotprettynearscared。You，Buck，“hecontinued，“somefolkswouldbeatyounowtillyu’dbeuncertainwhetheryu’wasahawssorarailroadaccident。I’ddoitmyself，onlyitwouldn’tcureyu’。“

InowtoldhimthatIsupposedhehadsavedbothourlives。Buthedetestedwordsofdirectpraise。Hemadesomegrumblingrejoinder，andledthehorsesoutofthethicket。Buck，heexplainedtome，wasagoodhorse，andsowasMuggins。Bothofthemgenerallymeantwell，andthatwastheJudge’sreasonforsendingthemtomeetme。Butthesebroncoshadtheiroffdays。

Offdaysmightnotcomeveryoften；butwhenthehumorseizedabronco，hehadtohavehisspree。Buckwouldnowbehavehimselfasahorseshouldforprobablytwomonths。“Theyarejustlikehumans，“theVirginianconcluded。

Severalcow-boysarrivedonagalloptofindhowmanypiecesofuswereleft。Wereturneddownthehill；andwhenwereachedmytrunk，itwassurprisingtoseethedistancethatourrunawayhadcovered。Myhatwasalsofound，andwecontinuedonourway。

BuckandMugginswerepatternsofdiscretionthroughelserestofthemountains。IthoughtwhenwecampedthisnightthatitwasstrangeBuckshouldbeagainallowedtograzeatlarge，insteadofbeingtiedtoaropewhileweslept。Butthiswasmyignorance。Withthehardworkthathewasgallantlydoing，thehorseneededmorepasturethanarope’slengthwouldpermithimtofind。Thereforehewentfree，andinthemorninggaveusbutlittletroubleincatchinghim。

Wecrossedariverintheforenoon，andfartothenorthofuswesawtheBowLegMountains，paleinthebrightsun。SunkCreekflowedfromtheirwesternside，andourtwohundredandsixty-threemilesbegantogrowasmallthinginmyeyes。BuckandMuggins，Ithink，knewperfectlythatto-morrowwouldseethemhome。Theyrecognizedthisregion；andoncetheyturnedoffataforkintheroad。TheVirginianpulledthembackrathersharply。

“WanttogobacktoBalaam’s？“heinquiredofthem。“Ithoughtyouhadmoresense。“

Iasked，“WhowasBalaam？“

“Amaltreaterofhawsses，“repliedthecowpuncher。“HisranchisonButteCreekovehyondeh。“Andhepointedtowherethedivergingroadmeltedintospace。“TheJudgeboughtBuckandMugginsfromhiminthespring。“

“Sohemaltreatshorses？“Irepeated。

“That’sthewordallthroughthiscountry。AmanthatwilldowhattheyclaimBalaamdoestoahawsswhenhe’smad，ain’tfittobecalledhuman。“TheVirginiantoldmesomeparticulars。

“Oh！“Ialmostscreamedatthehorrorofit，andagain，“Oh！“

“He’dhaveprob’lydonethattoBuckassoonashestoppedrunnin’away。IfIcaughtamandoin’that——“

Wewereinterruptedbyasedate-lookingtravellerridinguponanequallysoberhorse。

“Mawnin’，Taylor，“saidtheVirginian，pullingupforgossip。

“Ain’tyoustrayedoffyourrangeprettyfar？“

“You’reaniceone！“repliedMr。Taylor，stoppinghishorseandsmilingamiably。

“TellmesomethingIdon’tknow，“retortedtheVirginian。

“Holdupamanatcardsandrobhim，“pursuedMr。Taylor。“Oh，thenewshasgotaheadofyou！“

“Trampashasbeenhyehexplainin’，hashe？“saidtheVirginianwithagrin。

“Wasthatyourvictim’sname？“saidMr。Taylor，facetiously。“No，itwasn’thimthatbroughtthenews。Say，whatdidyoudo，anyway？“

“Sothatthinghasgotaround，“murmuredtheVirginian。“Well，itwasn’tworthsuchwiderepawtin’。“AndhegavethesimplefactstoTaylor，whileIsatwonderingatthecontagiouspowersofRumor。Here，throughthisvoicelessland，thisdesert，thisvacuum，ithadspreadlikeachangeofweather。“Anynewsupyourway？“theVirginianconcluded。

ImportancecameintoMr。Taylor’scountenance。“BearCreekisgoingtobuildaschoolhouse，“saidhe。

“Goodnessgracious！“drawledtheVirginian。“What’sthatfor？“

NowMr。Taylorhadbeenmarriedforsomeyears。“ToeducatetheoffspringofBearCreek，“heansweredwithpride。

“OffspringofBearCreek，“theVirginianmeditativelyrepeated。

“Idon’tremembernoticin’muchoffspring。Therewassomewhitetaildeer，andarightsmarto’jackrabbits。“

“TheSwintonshavemovedupfromDrybone，“saidMr。Taylor，alwaysseriously。“Theyfounditnoplaceforyoungchildren。Andthere’sUncleCarmodywithsix，andBenDow。AndWestfallhasbecomeafamilyman，and——“

“JimWestfall！“exclaimedtheVirginian。“Himafam’lyman！Well，ifthishyehTerritoryisgoin’togetfullo’fam’lymenandemptyo’game，IbelieveI’ll——“

“Getmarriedyourself，“suggestedMr。Taylor。

“Me！Iain’tnearreachedthemarriageableage。No，seh！ButUncleHugheyhasgotthereatlast，yu’know。“

“UncleHughey！“shoutedMr。Taylor。Hehadnotheardthis。Rumorisverycapricious。ThereforetheVirginiantoldhim，andthefamilymanrockedinhissaddle。

“Buildyourschoolhouse，“saidtheVirginian。“UncleHugheyhasqualifiedhimselftosubscribetoallsuchpropositions。Gotyoureyeonaschoolmarm？“

V。ENTERTHEWOMAN

“Wearetakingsteps，“saidMr。Taylor。“BearCreekain’tgoingtobehastyaboutaschoolmarm。“

“Sure，“assentedtheVirginian。“Thechildrenwouldn’twantyu’

tohurry。“

ButMr。Taylorwas，asIhaveindicated，aseriousfamilyman。

Theproblemofeducatinghischildrencouldappeartohiminnolightexceptasoberone。“BearCreek，“hesaid，“don’twanttheexperiencetheyhadoveratCalef。Wemustnothireanignoramus。“

“Sure！“assentedtheVirginianagain。

“Norwedon’twantnogad-a-wayflirt，“saidMr。Taylor。

“Shemustkeephereyesontheblackboa’d，“saidtheVirginian，gently。

“Well，wecanwaittillwegetaguaranteedarticle，“saidMr。

Taylor。“Andthat’swhatwe’regoingtodo。Itcan’tbethisyear，anditneedn’ttobe。Noneofthekidsisveryold，andtheschoolhousehasgottobebuilt。“Henowdrewaletterfromhispocket，andlookedatme。“AreyouacquaintedwithMissMaryStarkWoodofBennington，Vermont？“heinquired。

Iwasnotacquaintedwithheratthistime。

“She’sonewearethinkingof。She’sacorrespondentwithMrs。

Balaam。“Taylorhandedmetheletter。“ShewrotethattoMrs。

Balaam，andMrs。Balaamsaidthebestthingwasfortoletmeseeitandjudgeformyself。I’mtakingitbacktoMrs。Balaam。MaybeyoucangivemeyouropinionhowitsizesupwiththeletterstheywritebackEast？“

Thecommunicationwasmainlyofabusinesskind，butalsopersonal，andfreelywritten。Idonotthinkthatitswriterexpectedittobeexhibitedasadocument。ThewriterwishedverymuchthatshecouldseetheWest。Butshecouldnotgratifythisdesiremerelyforpleasure，orshewouldlongagohaveacceptedthekindinvitationtovisitMrs。Balaam’sranch。Teachingschoolwassomethingshewouldliketodo，ifshewerefittedforit。