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Colonel Williams。
CHAPTER IX。
IN COWBOY LAND。
Out on the frontier； and generally among those who spend their lives
in； or on the borders of； the wilderness； life is reduced to its
elemental conditions。 The passions and emotions of these grim hunters
of the mountains； and wild rough…riders of the plains； are simpler and
stranger than those of people dwelling in more complicated states of
society。 As soon as the communities become settled and begin to grow
with any rapidity； the American instinct for law asserts itself； but
in the earlier stages each individual is obliged to be a law to
himself and to guard his rights with a strong hand。 Of course the
transition periods are full of incongruities。 Men have not yet
adjusted their relations to morality and law with any niceness。 They
hold strongly by certain rude virtues； and on the other hand they
quite fail to recognize even as shortcomings not a few traits that
obtain scant mercy in older communities。 Many of the desperadoes； the
man…killers； and road…agents have good sides to their characters。
Often they are people； who； in certain stages of civilization； do； or
have done； good work； but who； when these stages have passed； find
themselves surrounded by conditions which accentuate their worst
qualities； and make their best qualities useless。 The average
desperado； for instance； has； after all； much the same standard of
morals that the Norman nobles had in the days of the battle of
Hastings； and； ethically and morally； he is decidedly in advance of
the vikings； who were the ancestors of these same noblesand to whom；
by the way； he himself could doubtless trace a portion of his blood。
If the transition from the wild lawlessness of life in the wilderness
or on the border to a higher civilization were stretched out over a
term of centuries； he and his descendants would doubtless accommodate
themselves by degrees to the changing circumstances。 But unfortunately
in the far West the transition takes place with marvellous abruptness；
and at an altogether unheard…of speed； and many a man's nature is
unable to change with sufficient rapidity to allow him to harmonize
with his environment。 In consequence； unless he leaves for still
wilder lands； he ends by getting hung instead of founding a family
which would revere his name as that of a very capable； although not in
all respects a conventionally moral； ancestor。
Most of the men with whom I was intimately thrown during my life on
the frontier and in the wilderness were good fellows； hard…working；
brave； resolute； and truthful。 At times； of course； they were forced
of necessity to do deeds which would seem startling to dwellers in
cities and in old settled places； and though they waged a very stern
and relentless warfare upon evil…doers whose misdeeds had immediate
and tangible bad results； they showed a wide toleration of all save
the most extreme classes of wrong； and were not given to inquiring too
curiously into a strong man's past； or to criticizing him over…harshly
for a failure to discriminate in finer ethical questions。 Moreover；
not a few of the men with whom I came in contactwith some of whom my
relations were very close and friendlyhad at different times led
rather tough careers。 This fact was accepted by them and by their
companions as a fact； and nothing more。 There were certain offences；
such as rape； the robbery of a friend； or murder under circumstances
of cowardice and treachery； which were never forgiven； but the fact
that when the country was wild a young fellow had gone on the road
that is； become a highwayman； or had been chief of a gang of
desperadoes； horse…thieves； and cattle…killers； was scarcely held to
weigh against him； being treated as a regrettable； but certainly not
shameful； trait of youth。 He was regarded by his neighbors with the
same kindly tolerance which respectable mediaeval Scotch borderers
doubtless extended to their wilder young men who would persist in
raiding English cattle even in time of peace。
Of course if these men were asked outright as to their stories they
would have refused to tell them or else would have lied about them；
but when they had grown to regard a man as a friend and companion they
would often recount various incidents of their past lives with perfect
frankness； and as they combined in a very curious degree both a
decided sense of humor； and a failure to appreciate that there was
anything especially remarkable in what they related； their tales were
always entertaining。
Early one spring； now nearly ten years ago； I was out hunting some
lost horses。 They had strayed from the range three months before； and
we had in a roundabout way heard that they were ranging near some
broken country； where a man named Brophy had a ranch； nearly fifty
miles from my own。 When I started thither the weather was warm； but
the second day out it grew colder and a heavy snowstorm came on。
Fortunately I was able to reach the ranch all right； finding there one
of the sons of a Little Beaver ranchman； and a young cowpuncher
belonging to a Texas outfit； whom I knew very well。 After putting my
horse into the corral and throwing him down some hay I strode into the
low hut； made partly of turf and partly of cottonwood logs； and
speedily warmed myself before the fire。 We had a good warm supper； of
bread； potatoes； fried venison； and tea。 My two companions grew very
sociable and began to talk freely over their pipes。 There were two
bunks one above the other。 I climbed into the upper； leaving my
friends； who occupied the lower； sitting together on a bench
recounting different incidents in the careers of themselves and their
cronies during the winter that had just passed。 Soon one of them asked
the other what had become of a certain horse； a noted cutting pony；
which I had myself noticed the preceding fall。 The question aroused
the other to the memory of a wrong which still rankled； and he began
（I alter one or two of the proper names）：
〃Why； that was the pony that got stole。 I had been workin' him on
rough ground when I was out with the Three Bar outfit and he went
tender forward； so I turned him loose by the Lazy B ranch； and when I
came back to git him there wasn't anybody at the ranch and I couldn't
find him。 The sheep…man who lives about two miles west； under Red Clay
butte； told me he seen a fellow in a wolfskin coat； ridin' a pinto
bronco； with white eyes； leadin' that pony of mine just two days
before； and I hunted round till I hit his trail and then I followed to
where I'd reckoned he was headin' forthe Short Pine Hills。 When I
got there a rancher told me he had seen the man pass on towards
Cedartown； and sure enough when I struck Cedartown I found he lived
there in a 'dobe house； just outside the town。 There was a boom on the
town and it looked pretty slick。 There was two hotels and I went into
the first； and I says； 'Where's the justice of the peace？' says I to
the bartender。
〃 'There ain't no justice of the peace；' says he； 'the justice of the
peace got shot。'
〃 'Well； where's the constable？' says I。
〃 'Why； it was him that shot the justice of the peace！' says he； 'he's
skipped the country with a bunch of horses。'
〃 'Well； ain't there no officer of the law left in this town？' says I。
〃 'Why； of course；' says he； 'there's a probate judge； he is over
tendin' bar at the Last Chance Hotel。'
〃So I went over to the Last Chance Hotel and I walked in there。
'Mornin'；' says I。
〃 'Morning'；' says he。
〃 'You be the probate judge？' says I。
〃 'That's what I am；' says he。 'What do you want？' says he。
〃 'I want justice；' says I。
〃 'What kind of justice do you want？' says he。 'What's it for？'
〃 'It's for stealin' a horse；' says I。
〃 'Then by God you'll git it；' says he。 'Who stole the horse？' says
he。
〃 'It is a man that lives in a 'dobe house； just outside the town
there；' says I。
〃 'Well； where do you come from yourself？' said he。
〃 'From Medory；' said I。
〃With that he lost interest and settled kind o' back； and says he；
'There won't no Cedartown jury hang a Cedartown man for stealin' a
Medory man's horse；' said he。
〃 'Well； what am I to do about my horse？' says I。
〃 'Do？' says he； 'well； you know where the man lives； don't you？' says
he； 'then sit up outside his house； to…night and shoot him when he
comes in；' says he； 'and skip out with the horse。'
〃 'All right；' says I； 'that is what I'll do；' and I walked off。
〃So I went off to his house and I laid down behind some sage…brushes
to wait for him。 He was not at home； but I could see his wife movin'
about inside now and then； and I waited and waited； and it growed
darker； and I begun to say to myself； 'Now here you are lyin' out to
shoot this man when he comes home； and it's getting' dark； and you
don't know him； and if you do shoot the next man that comes into that
house； like as not it won't be the fellow you're after at all； but
some perfectly innocent man a…comin' there after the other man's
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 o