wife！'
〃So I up and saddled the bronc' and lit out for home；〃 concluded the
narrator with the air of one justly proud of his own self…abnegating
virtue。
The 〃town〃 where the judge above…mentioned dwelt was one of those
squalid pretentiously named little clusters of make…shift dwellings
which on the edge of the wild country spring up with the rapid growth
of mushrooms； and are often no longer lived。 In their earlier stages
these towns are frequently built entirely of canvas； and are subject
to grotesque calamities。 When the territory purchased from the Sioux；
in the Dakotas； a couple of years ago was thrown open to settlement；
there was a furious inrush of men on horseback and in wagons； and
various ambitious cities sprang up overnight。 The new settlers were
all under the influence of that curious craze which causes every true
westerner to put unlimited faith in the unknown and untried； many had
left all they had in a far better farming country； because they were
true to their immemorial belief that； wherever they were； their luck
would be better if they went somewhere else。 They were always on the
move； and headed for the vague beyond。 As miners see visions of all
the famous mines of history in each new camp； so these would…be city
founders saw future St。 Pauls and Omahas in every forlorn group of
tents pitched by some muddy stream in a desert of gumbo and sage…
brush； and they named both the towns and the canvas buildings in
accordance with their bright hopes for the morrow； rather than with
reference to the mean facts of the day。 One of these towns； which when
twenty…four hours old boasted of six saloons； a 〃court…house；〃 and an
〃opera house；〃 was overwhelmed by early disaster。 The third day of its
life a whirlwind came along and took off the opera house and half the
saloons； and the following evening lawless men nearly finished the
work of the elements。 The riders of a huge trail…outfit from Texas； to
their glad surprise discovered the town and abandoned themselves to a
night of roaring and lethal carousal。 Next morning the city
authorities were lamenting； with oaths of bitter rage； that 〃them
hell…and…twenty Flying A cowpunchers had cut the court…house up into
parts。〃 It was true。 The cowboys were in need of chaps； and with an
admirable mixture of adventurousness； frugality； and ready
adaptability to circumstances； had made substitutes therefore in the
shape of canvas overalls； cut from the roof and walls of the shaky
temple of justice。
One of my valued friends in the mountains； and one of the best hunters
with whom I ever travelled； was a man who had a peculiarly light…
hearted way of looking at conventional social obligations。 Though in
some ways a true backwoods Donatello； he was a man of much shrewdness
and of great courage and resolution。 Moreover； he possessed what only
a few men do possess； the capacity to tell the truth。 He saw facts as
they were； and could tell them as they were； and he never told an
untruth unless for very weighty reasons。 He was pre…eminently a
philosopher； of a happy； sceptical turn of mind。 He had no prejudices。
He never looked down； as so many hard characters do； upon a person
possessing a different code of ethics。 His attitude was one of broad；
genial tolerance。 He saw nothing out of the way in the fact that he
had himself been a road…agent； a professional gambler； and a desperado
at different stages of his career。 On the other hand； he did not in
the least hold it against any one that he had always acted within the
law。 At the time that I knew him he had become a man of some
substance； and naturally a staunch upholder of the existing order of
things。 But while he never boasted of his past deeds； he never
apologized for them； and evidently would have been quite as incapable
of understanding that they needed an apology as he would have been
incapable of being guilty of mere vulgar boastfulness。 He did not
often allude to his past career at all。 When he did； he recited its
incidents perfectly naturally and simply； as events； without any
reference to or regard for their ethical significance。 It was this
quality which made him at times a specially pleasant companion； and
always an agreeable narrator。 The point of his story； or what seemed
to him the point； was rarely that which struck me。 It was the
incidental sidelights the story threw upon his own nature and the
somewhat lurid surroundings amid which he had moved。
On one occasion when we were out together we killed a bear； and after
skinning it； took a bath in a lake。 I noticed he had a scar on the
side of his foot and asked him how he got it； to which he responded
with indifference：
〃Oh； that？ Why； a man shootin' at me to make me dance； that was all。〃
I expressed some curiosity in that matter； and he went on：
〃Well； the way of it was this： It was when I was keeping a saloon in
New Mexico； and there was a man there by the name of Fowler； and there
was a reward on him of three thousand dollars〃
〃Put on him by the State？〃
〃No； put on by his wife；〃 said my friend； 〃and there was this〃
〃Hold on；〃 I interrupted； 〃put on by his wife did you say？〃
〃Yes； by his wife。 Him an her had been keepin' a faro bank； you see；
and they quarreled about it； so she just put a reward on him； and
so〃
〃Excuse me；〃 I said； 〃but do you mean to say that this reward was put
on publicly？〃 to which my friend answered； with an air of gentlemanly
boredom at being interrupted to gratify my thirst for irrelevant
detail：
〃Oh； no； not publicly。 She just mentioned it to six or eight intimate
personal friends。〃
〃Go on；〃 I responded； somewhat overcome by this instance of the
primitive simplicity with which New Mexico matrimonial disputes were
managed； and he continued：
〃Well； two men come ridin' in to see me to borrow my guns。 My guns was
Colt's self…cockers。 It was a new thing then； an they was the only
ones in town。 These come to me； and 'Simpson；' says they； 'we want to
borrow your guns； we are goin' to kill Fowler。'
〃 'Hold on for a moment；' said I； 'I am willin' to lend you them guns；
but I ain't goin' to know what you 'r' goin' to do with them； no sir；
but of course you can have the guns。' 〃 Here my friend's face
lightened pleasantly； and he continued：
〃Well； you may easily believe I felt surprised next day when Fowler
come ridin' in； and； says he； 'Simpson； here's your guns！' He had shot
them two men！ 'Well； Fowler；' says I； 'if I had known them men was
after you； I'd never have let them have them guns nohow；' says I。 That
wasn't true； for I did know it； but there was no cause to tell him
that。〃 I murmured my approval of such prudence； and Simpson continued；
his eyes gradually brightening with the light of agreeable
reminiscence：
〃Well； they up and they took Fowler before the justice of the peace。
The justice of the peace was a Turk。〃
〃Now； Simpson； what do you mean by that？〃 I interrupted：
〃Well； he come from Turkey；〃 said Simpson； and I again sank back；
wondering briefly what particular variety of Mediterranean outcast had
drifted down to New Mexico to be made a justice of the peace。 Simpson
laughed and continued：
〃That Fowler was a funny fellow。 The Turk； he committed Fowler； and
Fowler； he riz up and knocked him down and tromped all over him and
made him let him go！〃
〃That was an appeal to a higher law；〃 I observed。 Simpson assented
cheerily； and continued：
〃Well； that Turk； he got nervous for fear Fowler he was goin' to kill
him； and so he comes to me and offers me twenty…five dollars a day to
protect him from Fowler； and I went to Fowler； and 'Fowler；' says I；
'that Turk's offered me twenty…five dollars a day to protect him from
you。 Now； I ain't goin' to get shot for no twenty…five dollars a day；
and if you are goin' to kill the Turk； just say so and go and do it；
but if you ain't goin' to kill the Turk； there's no reason why I
shouldn't earn that twenty…five dollars a day！' and Fowler； says he；
'I ain't goin' to touch the Turk； you just go right ahead and protect
him。' 〃
So Simpson 〃protected〃 the Turk from the imaginary danger of Fowler；
for about a week； at twenty…five dollars a day。 Then one evening he
happened to go out and met Fowler； 〃and；〃 said he； 〃the moment I saw
him I knowed he felt mean； for he begun to shoot at my feet；〃 which
certainly did seem to offer presumptive evidence of meanness。 Simpson
continued：
〃I didn't have no gun； so I just had to stand there and take it util
something distracted his attention； and I went off home to get my gun
and kill him； but I wanted to do it perfectly lawful； so I went up to
the mayor （he was playin' poker with one of the judges）； and says I to
him； 'Mr。 Mayor；' says I； 'I am goin' to shoot Fowler。 And the mayor
he riz out of his chair and he took me by the hand； and says he； 'Mr。
Simpson； if you do I will stand by you；' and the judge； he says； 'I'll
go on your bond。' 〃
Fortified by this cordial approval of the executive and judicial
branches of the government； Mr。 Simpson started on his quest。
Meanwhile； however； Fowler had cut up another prominent citizen； and
they already had him in jail。 The friends of law and order feeling
some l