“Smokingissnug，too，“saidI。Andwemarkedourpointsforanhour，withnowordssaveaboutthecards。
“I’llbeprettyneargladwhenwegetoutofthesemountains，“
saidtheVirginian。“They’remosttoobig。“
Thepineshadaltogetherceased；buttheirsilencewasastremendousastheirroarhadbeen。
“Idon’tknow，though，“heresumed。“There’stimeswhentheplainscanbeawfulbig，too。“
Presentlywefinishedahand，andhesaid，“Letmeseethatpaper。“
Hesatreadin，itapparentlythrough，whileIarrangedmyblanketstomakeawarmbed。Then，sincethepapercontinuedtoabsorbhim，Igotmyselfready，andslidbetweenmyblanketsforthenight。“You’llneedanothercandlesooninthatlantern，“
saidI。
Heputthepaperdown。“Iwoulddoitalloveragain，“hebegan。
“Thewholethingjustthesame。Heknowedthecustomsofthecountry，andheplayedthegame。Nocalltoblamemeforthecustomsofthecountry。Youleaveotherfolks’cattlealone，oryoutaketheconsequences，anditwasallknowntoStevefromthestart。WouldhehavemetaketheJudge’swagesandgivehimthewink？HemusthavechangedaheapfromtheSteveIknewifheexpectedthat。Idon’tbelieveheexpectedthat。Heknewwellenoughtheonlythingthatwouldhavelethimoffwouldhavebeenaregularjury。ForthethieveshavegotholdofthejuriesinJohnsonCounty。Iwoulddoitallover，justthesame。“
Theexpiringflameleapedinthelantern，andfellblue。Hebrokeoffinhiswordsasiftoarrangethelight，butdidnot，sittingsilentinstead，justvisible，andseemingtowatchthedeathstruggleoftheflame。Icouldfindnothingtosaytohim，andI
believedhewasnowwinninghiswaybacktoserenitybyhimself。
HekepthisoutwardmansonearlynaturalthatIforgotaboutthatcoldtouchofhishand，andneverguessedhowfaroutfromreasonthetideofemotionwasevennowwhirlinghim。“IrememberatCheyenneonced，“heresumed。AndhetoldmeofaThanksgivingvisittotownthathehadmadewithSteve。“Wewasjustcoltsthen，“hesaid。Hedweltontheircoltishdoings，theiradventuressoughtandwroughtintheperfectfellowshipofyouth。
“ForSteveandmemostalwayshuntedincouplesbackinthemgamesomeyears，“heexplained。Andhefellintotheelementaltalkofsex，suchtalkaswouldbeanelk’sortiger’s；andspokensobyhim，simplyandnaturally，aswespeakoftheseasons，orofdeath，orofanyactuality，itwaswithoutoffense。ItwouldbeoffenseshouldIrepeatit。Then，abruptlyendingthesememoriesofhimselfandSteve，hewentoutofthetent，andIheardhimdraggingalogtothefire。Whenithadblazedup，thereonthetentwallwashisshadowandthatofthelogwherehesatwithhishalf-brokenheart。AndallthewhileI
supposedhewasmasterofhimself，andself-justifiedagainstSteve’somissiontobidhimgood-by。
Imusthavefallenasleepbeforehereturned，forIremembernothingexceptwakingandfindinghiminhisblanketsbesideme。
Thefireshadowwasgone，andgray，coldlightwasdimlyonthetent。Hesleptrestlessly，andhisforeheadwasploughedbylinesofpain。WhileIlookedathimhebegantomutter，andsuddenlystartedupwithviolence。“No！“hecriedout；“no！Justthesame！“andthuswakenedhimself，staring。“What’sthematter？“hedemanded。Hewasslowingettingbacktowherewewere；andfullconsciousnessfoundhimsittingupwithhiseyesfixedonmine。
Theyweremorehauntedthantheyhadbeenatall，andhisnextspeechcamestraightfromhisdream。“Maybeyou’dbetterquitme。
Thisain’tyourtrouble。“
Ilaughed。“Why，whatisthetrouble？“
Hiseyesstillintentlyfixedonmine。“Doyouthinkifwechangedourtrailwecouldlosethemfromus？“
IwasframingajocosereplyaboutOuncesbeingagoodwalker，whenthesoundofhoofsrushinginthedistancestoppedme，andheranoutofthetentwithhisrifle。WhenIfollowedwithminehewasupthebank，andallhispowersalert。Butnothingcameoutofthedimnesssaveourthreestampededhorses。Theycrashedoverfallentimberandacrosstheopentowheretheirpicketedcomradegrazedattheendofhisrope。Byhimtheycametoastand，andtoldhim，Isuppose，whattheyhadseen；forallfournowfacedinthesamedirection，lookingawayintothemysteriousdawn。Welikewisestoodpeering，andmyriflebarrelfeltcoldinmyhand。Thedawnwasallwesaw，theinscrutabledawn，comingandcomingthroughtheblackpinesandthegrayopenofthebasin。Thereaboveliftedthepeaks，nosunyetonthem，andbehindusourstreammadealittletinkling。
“Abear，Isuppose，“saidI，atlength。
Hisstrangelookfixedmeagain，andthenhiseyeswenttothehorses。“Theysmellthingswecan’tsmell，“saidhe，veryslowly。
“Willyouprovetometheydon’tseethingswecan’tsee？“
Achillshotthroughme，andIcouldnothelpafrightenedglancewherewehadbeenwatching。ButoneofthehorsesbegantograzeandIhadawholesomethought。“He’stiredofwhateverhesees，then，“saidI，pointing。
AsmilecameforamomentintheVirginian’sface。“Mustbeapoorshow，“heobserved。Allthehorsesweregrazingnow，andheadded，“Itain’thurttheirappetitesany。“
Wemadeourownbreakfastthen。AndwhatuncannydreadImayhavebeentouchedwithuptothistimehenceforthleftmeinthefaceofarealalarm。TheshockofStevewasworkingupontheVirginian。Hewasawareofithimself；hewasfightingitwithallhismight；andhewasbeingovercome。Hewasindeedlikeagallantswimmeragainstwhombothwindandtidehaveconspired。
Andinthisnowforebodingsolitudetherewasonlymyselftothrowhimropes。Hisstrokesforsafetywereasboldaswastheundertowthatceaselesslyannulledthem。
“IreckonImadeafussinthetent？“saidhe，feelinghiswaywithme。
Ithrewhimarope。“Yes。Nightmare——indigestion——toomuchnewspaperbeforeretiring。
Hecaughttherope。“That’scorrect！Ihadahellofafoolishdreamforagrowed-upman。You’dnotthinkitofme。“
“Oh，yes，Ishould。I’vehadthemafterprolongedlobsterandchampagne。“
“Ah，“hemurmured，“prolonged！Prolongediswhatdoesit。“Heglancedbehindhim。“Stevecameback——“
“Inyourlobsterdream，“Iputin。
Buthemissedthisrope。“Yes，“heanswered，withhiseyessearchingme。“Andhehandedmethepaper——“
“Bytheway，whereisthat？“Iasked。
“Ibuiltthefirewithit。ButwhenItookitfromhimitwasasix-shooterIhadholdof，andpointingatmybreast。AndthenStevespoke。’Doyouthinkyou’refittolive？’Stevesaid；andI
gothotathim，andIreckonImusthavetoldhimwhatIthoughtofhim。Youheardme，Iexpect？“
“GladIdidn’t。Yourlanguagesometimesis——“
Helaughedout。“Oh，Iaccountforallthisthat’shappeningjustlikeyoudo。Ifwegaveourexplanations，they’dbeprettyneartwins。“
“Thehorsessawabear，then？“
“Maybeabear。Maybe“——butherethetidecaughthimagain——“What’syourideaaboutdreams？“
Myropeswereallout。“Liver——nerves，“wasthebestIcoulddo。
Butnowheswamstronglybyhimself。
“YoumaythinkI’mdiscreditable，“hesaid，“butIknowIam。Itoughttotakemorethan——well，menhavelosttheirfriendshipsbefore。Feudsandwarshaveclovenarightsmartofbondsintwain。Andifmyhaidisgoingtogetshookbyalittleoldpieceofnewspaper——I’mashamedIburnedthat。I’mashamedtohavebeenthatweak。“
“Anymangetsunstrung，“Itoldhim。Myropeshadbecomestraws；
andIstrovetoframesomepolicyforthenexthours。
Wenowfinishedbreakfastandsetforthtocatchthehorses。AswedrovetheminIfoundthattheVirginianwastellingmeaghoststory。“Athalf-pastthreeinthemorningshesawherrunawaydaughterstandingwithababeinherarms；butwhenshemoveditwasallgone。LatertheyfounditwastheverysamehourtheyoungmotherdiedinNogales。Andshesentforthechildandraiseditherself。Iknowedthembothbackhome。Doyoubelievethat？“
Isaidnothing。
“NomoredoIbelieveit，“heasserted。“Andseehere！NogalestimeisthreehoursdifferentfromRichmond。Ididn’tknowaboutthatpointthen。“
Onceoutofthesemountains，Iknewhecouldrighthimself；butevenI，whohadnoStevetodreamabout，feltthissilenceofthepeakswaspreyingonme。
“Herdaughterandhermighthavebeenthinkin’mightyhardabouteachotherjustthen，“hepursued。“ButSteveisdead。Finished。
Youcert’nlydon’tbelievethere’sanythingmore？“
“IwishIcould，“Itoldhim。
“No，I’msatisfied。Heavendidn’tneverinterestmemuch。Butiftherewasaworldofdreamsafteryouwent——“Hestoppedhimselfandturnedhissearchingeyesawayfrommine。“There’saheapo’
darknesswhereveryoutrytostep，“hesaid，“andIthoughtI’dleftoffwastingthoughtsonthesubject。Yousee“——hedexterouslyropedahorse，andoncemorehissplendidsanitywasturnedtogoldbyhisimagination——“Iexpectinmany“rowed-upmenyou’dcallsensiblethere’salittleboysleepin’——thelittlekidtheyoncedwas——thatstillkeepshisfearofthedark。Youmentionedthedarkyourselfyesterday。Well，thisexperiencehaswokeupthatkidinme，andblamedifIcancoaxthelittlecusstogotosleepagain！Ikeepa-tellinghimdaylightwillsurecome，buthekeepsa-cryingandholdingontome。“
Somewherefarinthebasintherewasafaintsound，andwestoodstill。
“Hush！“hesaid。
Butitwaslikeourwatchingthedawn；nothingmorefollowed。
“Theyhaveshotthatbear，“Iremarked。
Hedidnotanswer，andweputthesaddlesonwithouttalk。Wemadenohaste，butwewerenotoverhalfanhour，Isuppose，ingettingoffwiththepacks。Itwasnotanewthingtohearashotwherewildgamewasinplenty；yetaswerodethatshotsoundedalreadyinmyminddifferentfromothers。PerhapsIshouldnotbelievethisto-daybutforwhatIlookbackto。Tomakecamplastnightwehadturnedoffthetrail，andnowfollowedthestreamdownforawhile，takingnextacutthroughthewood。Inthiswaywecameuponthetracksofourhorseswheretheyhadbeengallopingbacktothecampaftertheirfright。Theyhadkickedupthedampandmattedpineneedlesveryplainlyallalong。
“Nothinghasbeenherebutthemselves，though，“saidI。
“Andtheyain’tshowingsignsofrememberinganyscare，“saidtheVirginian。
Inalittlewhileweemergeduponanopen。
“Here’swheretheywasgrazing，“saidtheVirginian；andthesignswereclearenough。“Here’swheretheymusthavegottheirscare，“hepursued。“YoustaywiththemwhileIcirclealittle。“
SoIstayed；andcertainlyouranimalswereverycalmatvisitingthisscene。Whenyoubringahorsebacktowherehehasrecentlyencounteredawildanimalhisearsandhisnostrilsareapttobewideawake。
TheVirginianhadstoppedandwasbeckoningtome。
“Here’syourbear，“saidhe，asIarrived。“Two-legged，yousee。
Andhehadahawssofhisown。“Therewasastakedrivendownwhereananimalhadbeenpicketedforthenight。
“LookslikeOunces，“Isaid，consideringtheFootprints。
“It’sOunces。AndOunceswantedanotherhawssverybad，sohimandPoundscouldtravellikegentlemenshould。“
“ButPoundsdoesn’tseemtohavebeenwithhim。“
“Oh，Pounds，hewasmakingcoffee，somewheresinyonder，whenthishappened。Neitherofthemguessedthere’dbeotherhawsseswanderinghereinthenight，ortheybothwouldhavecome。“Heturnedbacktoourpackanimals。
“Thenyou’llnothuntforthiscamptomakesure？“
“Iprefermakingsurefirst。Wemightbeexpectedatthatcamp。“
Hetookouthisriflefrombeneathhislegandsetitacrosshissaddleathalf-cock。Ididthesame；andthuscautiouslyweresumedourjourneyinaslightlydifferentdirection。“Thisain’tallwe’regoingtofindout，“saidtheVirginian。“Ounceshadagoodidea；butIreckonhemadeabadmistakelater。“
Wehadfoundoutagooddealwithoutanymore，Ithought。Ounceshadgonetobringintheirsinglehorse，andcominguponthreemoreinthepasturehadundertakentocatchoneandfailed，merelydrivingthemwherehefearedtofollow。
