“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。
