visitedhershehadamannamedCrowJoeworkingforher，aslab-
sided，shifty-eyedpersonwholater，asIheardmyforemanexplain，“skippedthecountrywithabunchofhorses。”Themistressoftheranchmadefirst-classbuckskinshirtsofgreatdurability。Theoneshemadeforme，andwhichIusedforyears，wasusedbyoneofmysonsinArizonaacoupleofwintersago。Ihadriddendownintothecountryaftersomelosthorses，andvisitedtheranchtogethertomakemethebuckskinshirtinquestion。Therewere，atthemoment，threeIndiansthere，Sioux，wellbehavedandself-respecting，andsheexplainedtomethattheyhadbeenrestingtherewaitingfordinner，andthatawhitemanhadcomealongandtriedtorunofftheirhorses。
TheIndianswereonthelookout，however，and，runningout，theycaughttheman；but，afterretakingtheirhorsesanddeprivinghimofhisgun，theylethimgo。“Idon’tseewhytheylethimgo。”exclaimedmyhostess。“Idon’tbelieveinstealingIndians’horsesanymorethanwhitefolks’；soItold’emtheycouldgoalongandhanghim——I’dnevercheep。Anyhow，Iwon’tchargethemanythingfortheirdinner。”
concludedmyhostess。Shewasinadvanceoftheusualmoralityofthetimeandplace，whichdrewasharplinebetweenstealingcitizens’
horsesandstealinghorsesfromtheGovernmentortheIndians。
Afairlydecentcitizen，JapHunt，wholongagometaviolentdeath，exemplifiedthisattitudetowardsIndiansinsomeremarksIonceheardhimmake。Hehadstartedahorseranch，andhadquitehonestlypurchasedanumberofbroken-downhorsesofdifferentbrands，withtheviewofdoctoringthemandsellingthemagain。Aboutthistimetherehadbeenmuchhorse-stealingandcattle-killinginourTerritoryandinMontana，andunderthedirectionofsomeofthebigcattle-growersacommitteeofvigilanteshadbeenorganizedtotakeactionagainsttherustlers，asthehorsethievesandcattlethieveswerecalled。Thevigilantes，orstranglers，astheywerelocallyknown，didtheirworkthoroughly；but，asalwayshappenswithbodiesofthekind，towardtheendtheygrewrecklessintheiractions，paidoffprivategrudges，andhungmenonslightprovocation。RidingintoJapHunt’sranch，theynearlyhunghimbecausehehadsomanyhorsesofdifferentbrands。Hewasfinallyletoff。Hewasmuchupsetbytheincident，andexplainedagainandagain，“TheideaofsayingthatIwasahorsethief！Why，I
neverstoleahorseinmylife——leastwaysfromawhiteman。Idon’tcountIndiansnortheGovernment，ofcourse。”Japhadbeenrearedamongmenstillinthestageoftribalmorality，andwhiletheyrecognizedtheirobligationstooneanother，boththeGovernmentandtheIndiansseemedalienbodies，inregardtowhichthelawsofmoralitydidnotapply。
Ontheotherhand，partiesofsavageyoungbuckswouldtreatlonelysettlersjustasbadly，andinadditionsometimesmurderthem。Suchapartywasgenerallycomposedofyoungfellowsburningtodistinguishthemselves。SomeoneoftheirnumberwouldhaveobtainedapassfromtheIndianAgentallowinghimtotraveloffthereservation，whichpasswouldbeflourishedwhenevertheiractionwasquestionedbybodiesofwhitesofequalstrength。Ioncehadatriflingencounterwithsuchaband。Iwasmakingmywayalongtheedgeofthebadlands，northwardfrommylowerranch，andwasjustcrossingaplateauwhenfiveIndiansrodeupoverthefurtherrim。Theinstanttheysawmetheywhippedouttheirgunsandracedfullspeedatme，yellingandfloggingtheirhorses。Iwasonafavoritehorse，Manitou，whowasawiseoldfellow，withnervesnottobeshakenbyanything。Iatonceleapedoffhimandstoodwithmyrifleready。
ItwaspossiblethattheIndiansweremerelymakingabluffandintendednomischief。ButIdidnotliketheiractions，andIthoughtitlikelythatifIallowedthemtogetholdofmetheywouldatleasttakemyhorseandrifle，andpossiblykillme。SoIwaiteduntiltheywereahundredyardsoffandthendrewabeadonthefirst。Indians——
and，forthematterofthat，whitemen——donotliketorideinonamanwhoiscoolandmeansshooting，andinatwinklingeverymanwaslyingoverthesideofhishorse，andallfivehadturnedandweregallopingbackwards，havingalteredtheircourseasquicklyassomanytealducks。
Afterthisoneofthemmadethepeacesign，withhisblanketfirst，andthen，asherodetowardme，withhisopenhand。Ihaltedhimatafairdistanceandaskedhimwhathewanted。Heexclaimed，“How！MegoodInjun，megoodInjun。”andtriedtoshowmethedirtypieceofpaperonwhichhisagencypasswaswritten。ItoldhimwithsinceritythatIwasgladthathewasagoodIndian，butthathemustnotcomeanycloser。Hethenaskedforsugarandtobacco。ItoldhimIhadnone。AnotherIndianbeganslowlydriftingtowardmeinspiteofmycallingouttokeepback，soIoncemoreaimedwithmyrifle，whereuponbothIndiansslippedtotheothersideoftheirhorsesandgallopedoff，withoathsthatdidcredittoatleastonesideoftheiracquaintancewithEnglish。Inowmountedandpushedovertheplateauontotheopenprairie。InthosedaysanIndian，althoughnotasgoodashotasawhiteman，wasinfinitelybetteratcrawlingunderandtakingadvantageofcover；andtheworstthingawhitemancoulddowastogetintocover，whereasoutintheopenifhekepthisheadhehadagoodchanceofstandingoffevenhalfadozenassailants。TheIndiansaccompaniedmeforacoupleofmiles。ThenIreachedtheopenprairie，andresumedmynorthwardride，notbeingfurthermolested。
Intheolddaysintheranchcountrywedependedupongameforfreshmeat。Nobodylikedtokillabeef，andalthoughnowandthenamaverickyearlingmightbekilledontheround-up，mostofuslookedaskanceatthedeed，becauseifthepracticeofbeef-killingwaseverallowedtostart，therustlers——thehorsethievesandcattlethieves——
wouldbesuretoseizeonitasanexcuseforgeneralslaughter。
Gettingmeatfortheranchusuallydevolveduponme。IalmostalwayscarriedariflewhenIrode，eitherinascabbardundermythigh，oracrossthepommel。OftenIwouldpickupadeerorantelopewhileaboutmyregularwork，whenvisitingalinecamporridingafterthecattle。AtothertimesIwouldmakeaday’stripafterthem。Inthefallwesometimestookawagonandmadeaweek’shunt，returningwitheightortendeercarcasses，andperhapsanelkoramountainsheepaswell。Ineverbecamemorethanafairhunter，andattimesIhadmostexasperatingexperiences，eitherfailingtoseegamewhichIoughttohaveseen，orcommittingsomeblunderinthestalk，orfailingtokillwhenIfired。Lookingback，IaminclinedtosaythatifIhadanygoodqualityasahunteritwasthatofperseverance。“Itisdoggedthatdoesit“inhuntingasinmanyotherthings。Unlessinwhollyexceptionalcases，whenwewereveryhungry，Ineverkilledanythingbutbucks。
OccasionallyImadelongtripsawayfromtheranchandamongtheRockyMountainswithmyranchforemanMerrifield；orinlateryearswithTazewellWoody，JohnWillis，orJohnGoff。Wehuntedbears，boththeblackandthegrizzly，cougarsandwolves，andmoose，wapiti，andwhitegoat。OnoneofthesetripsIkilledabisonbull，andIalsokilledabisonbullontheLittleMissourisomefiftymilessouthofmyranchonatripwhichJoeFerrisandItooktogether。Itwasratheraroughtrip。Eachofuscarriedonlyhisslickerbehindhimonthesaddle，withsomeflourandbacondoneupinit。Wemetwithallkindsofmisadventures。Finallyonenight，whenweweresleepingbyaslimylittleprairiepoolwheretherewasnotastickofwood，wehadtotiethehorsestothehornsofoursaddles；andthenwewenttosleepwithourheadsonthesaddles。Inthemiddleofthenightsomethingstampededthehorses，andawaytheywent，withthesaddlesafterthem。
AswejumpedtoourfeetJoeeyedmewithanevidentsuspicionthatI
wastheJonahoftheparty，andsaid：“OLord！I’veneverdoneanythingtodeservethis。Didyoueverdoanythingtodeservethis？”
Inadditiontomyprivateduties，Isometimesservedasdeputysheriffforthenorthernendofourcounty。ThesheriffandIcrisscrossedinourpublicandprivaterelations。HeoftenworkedformeasahiredhandatthesametimethatIwashisdeputy。Hisname，oratleastthenamehewentby，wasBillJones，andastherewereintheneighborhoodseveralBillJoneses——ThreeSevenBillJones，TexasBillJones，andthelike——thesheriffwasknownasHellRoaringBillJones。Hewasathoroughfrontiersman，excellentinallkindsofemergencies，andaverygameman。Ibecamemuchattachedtohim。Hewasathoroughlygoodcitizenwhensober，buthewasalittlewildwhendrunk。
Unfortunately，towardtheendofhislifehegottodrinkingveryheavily。When，in1905，JohnBurroughsandIvisitedtheYellowstonePark，poorBillJones，verymuchdownintheworld，wasdrivingateaminGardineroutsidethepark。Ihadlookedforwardtoseeinghim，andhewasequallyanxioustoseeme。Hekepttellinghiscroniesofourintimacyandofwhatweweregoingtodotogether，andthengotdrinking；andtheresultwasthatbythetimeIreachedGardinerhehadtobecarriedoutandleftinthesage-brush。WhenIcameoutofthepark，Isentoninadvancetotellthemtobesuretokeephimsober，andtheydidso。Butitwasarathersadinterview。Theoldfellowhadgonetopieces，andsoonafterIlefthegotlostinablizzardandwasdeadwhentheyfoundhim。
BillJoneswasagun-fighterandalsoagoodmanwithhisfists。Ononeoccasiontherewasanelectionintown。Therehadbeenmanythreatsthatthepartyofdisorderwouldimportsectionhandsfromtheneighboringrailwaystationstodownourside。IdidnotreachMedora，theforlornlittlecattletownwhichwasourcountyseat，untiltheelectionwaswellunderway。Ithenaskedoneofmyfriendsiftherehadbeenanydisorder。BillJoneswasstandingby。“Disorderhell！”
saidmyfriend。“BillJonesjuststoodtherewithonehandonhisgunandtheotherpointingovertowardthenewjailwheneveranymanwhodidn’thavearighttovotecamenearthepolls。Therewasonlyoneofthemtriedtovote，andBillknockedhimdown。Lord！”addedmyfriend，meditatively，“thewaythatmanfell！”“Well。”struckinBillJones，“ifhehadn’tfellI’dhavewalkedroundbehindhimtoseewhatwasproppinghimup！”
InthedayswhenIlivedontheranchIusuallyspentmostofthewinterintheEast，andwhenIreturnedintheearlyspringIwasalwaysinterestedinfindingoutwhathadhappenedsincemydeparture。
OnoneoccasionIwasmetbyBillJonesandSylvaneFerris，andinthecourseofourconversationtheymentioned“thelunatic。”Thisledtoaquestiononmypart，andSylvaneFerrisbeganthestory：“Well，yousee，hewasonatrainandheshotthenewsboy。Atfirsttheyweren’tgoingtodoanythingtohim，fortheythoughthejusthaditinforthenewsboy。Butthensomebodysaid，’Why，he’splumbcrazy，andhe’sliabletoshootanyofus！’andthentheythrewhimoffthetrain。ItwashereatMedora，andtheyaskedifanybodywouldtakecareofhim，andBillJonessaidhewould，becausehewasthesheriffandthejailhadtworooms，andhewaslivinginoneandwouldputthelunaticintheother。”HereBillJonesinterrupted：“Yes，andmorefoolme！I
wouldn’ttakechargeofanotherlunaticifthewholecountyaskedme。
Why“(withtheairofamanannouncinganastoundingdiscovery)，“thatlunaticdidn’thavehisrightsenses！Hewouldn’teat，tillmeandSnydergothimdownontheshavingsandmadehimeat。”Snyderwasahuge，happy-go-lucky，kind-heartedPennsylvaniaDutchman，andwasBillJones’schiefdeputy。Billcontinued：“Youknow，Snyder’ssoft-
hearted，heis。Well，he’dthinkthatlunaticlookedpeaked，andhe’dtakehimoutforanairing。Thentheboyswouldgetjoshinghimastohowmuchstarthecouldgivehimovertheprairieandcatchhimagain。”Apparentlytheamountofthestartgiventhelunaticdependedupontheamountofthebettowhichthejoshingledup。IaskedBillwhathewouldhavedoneifSnyderhadn’tcaughtthelunatic。Thiswasevidentlyanewidea，andherespondedthatSnyderalwaysdidcatchhim。“Well，butsupposehehadn’tcaughthim？”“Well。”saidBillJones，“ifSnyderhadn’tcaughtthelunatic，I’dhavewhaledhelloutofSnyder！”
UnderthesecircumstancesSnyderranhisbestandalwaysdidcatchthepatient。Itmustnotbegatheredfromthisthatthelunaticwasbadlytreated。Hewaswelltreated。HebecomegreatlyattachedtobothBillJonesandSnyder，andheobjectedstronglywhen，afterthefrontiertheoryoftreatmentoftheinsanehadreceivedafulltrial，hewasfinallysentofftotheterritorialcapital。Itwasmerelythatalltherelationsoflifeinthatplaceanddayweresomanagedastogiveampleopportunityfortheexpressionofindividuality，whetherinsherifforranchman。Thelocalpracticaljokeronceattemptedtohavesomefunattheexpenseofthelunatic，andBillJonesdescribedtheresult。“YouknowBixby，don’tyou？Well。”withdeepdisapproval，“Bixbythinksheisfunny，hedoes。He’dcomeandhe’dwakethatlunaticupatnight，andI’dhavetogetupandsoothehim。IfixedBixbyallright，though。Ifastenedaropeonthelatch，andnexttimeBixbycameIletthelunaticoutonhim。He’mostbitBixby’snoseoff。IlearnedBixby！”
