ys I to him. "She said she was a thief--she'd stole the life
and happiness of her pa and others----"

"That's true," says he quiet like. "When you think of it, all life is
only a theft every way. Each human being steals from all others. That's
the way the world goes on. The coming generation steals always from the
one that has gone by. Tell me, is that wrong? And tell me, can you and I
judge if it is?"

I set and thought for quite a while, trying to figure out things. I
couldn't. At last I reached up and threw my gun away into the sage.

XXVII

HOW I QUIT OLD MAN WRIGHT

I went back to the railroad station as soon as a wagon come along that
would give me a ride, about half a hour after I left the hired man in
the buckboard. Then I went on up to Cody. When I got there I done what
anybody who knows cowpunchers knows I'd do in them circumstances. I
certainly did run true to form.

First, I went to the telegraph office and sent a telegram to Old Man
Wright: "Don't do nothing till you hear from me." Next, I showed I was a
good business man by going and buying a railroad ticket back to Chicago;
and I left it and ten dollars with the clerk at the hotel.

It might of been seven or eight days I was busy celebrating my losing my
job like a cowpuncher almost always does. Having so much money it took
me quite a while to finish decorating Cody the way I liked it best.
Still, after a while, being down to ten dollars and the railroad ticket,
I concluded to go back home.

When I got back to Chicago I found Old Man Wright setting right where
I'd left him and he looked like he really hadn't done nothing since. His
hair was right long and his face was full of whiskers.

"Well, I found 'em," says I.

"What did you do, Curly?" says he.

"I didn't shoot him none," says I. "So to speak, he taken my gun away
from me."

"Huh! Where is she? How is she?"

I had to tell him I didn't bring no word from Bonnie Bell at all, and
hadn't seen her even.

"I couldn't stand it, Colonel," says I. "He made a awful strong talk to
me, Colonel," says I.

He didn't say nothing for a long time. He begin to talk right slow then.

"I thought I had one friend in the world," says he, "one man I could
rest on. But even you've gone back on me--even you failed me, Curly."

"Yes, Colonel," says I. "I've done a heap worse than that. I know how
you feel and I feel the same way. I ain't fitten to be your foreman. You
only brought me on here bec