wept his hearer along and
made him rejoice at the bond which existed between them. Nor, in those
moments, could he help feeling glad for that day when he had found the
hungry wayfarer at the trail-side.

"Ther's more than twenty years between us, sure," Buck cried with
intense feeling. "Nuthin' can alter that, an' ther's sure nuthin' can
make us see out o' the same eyes, nor feel with the same feelin's.
Ther's nuthin' can make things seem the same to us. I know that, an'
it ain't no use you tellin' me. Guess we're made diff'rent that
way--an' I allow it's as well. If we weren't, wal, I guess neither of
us would have things right. See here, Padre, you give most everything
to me you could, ever since you brought me along to the farm. That's
because it's your way to give. I hadn't nuthin' to give. I haven't
nuthin' to give now. I can't even give way. Guess you can, though,
because it's your nature, and because I'm askin' it. Padre, I'm goin'
to act mean. I'm goin' to act so mean it'll hurt you. But it won't
hurt you more than it'll hurt me. Mebbe it won't jest hurt you so
much. But I'm goin' to act that way--because it's my way--when I'm set
up agin it. You're settin' me up agin it now."

He paused, vainly watching the other's steady eyes for a sign.

"Go on." The Padre's smile was undiminished.

Buck made an impatient movement, and pointed at the horses.

"See them? Ther' they stand," he cried. "Ther' they'll sure stand till
we both set out for the long trail. I got it all fixed. I got more
than that fixed. See these guns?" He tapped one of the guns at his
waist. "They're loaded plumb up. The belt's full of shots. I got two
repeatin' rifles stowed away, an' their magazines are loaded plumb up,
too. Wal--unless you say right here you're goin' to hit the trail with
me, when--things get busy; unless you tell me right out you're goin'
to let me square off jest a bit of the score you got chalked up agin
me all these years by lettin' me help you out in this racket, then I'm
goin' to set right out ther' by the old stockade, and when Bob
Richards gets around, he an' as many of his dogone dep'ties as I can
pull down are goin' to get their med'cine. They'll need to take me
with you, Padre. Guess I'm sharin' that 'chair' with you, if they
don't hand it me before I get ther'. What I'm sayin' goes, every word
of it. This thing goes, jest as sure as I'll blow Bob Richards to hell
before he lays hand on you."

The younger man's e