un onto their range, an' then tried to prevent
my gettin' it back. I didn't mind their open warfare; but their
underhanded ways drove me wild. One o' their agents used to dog me
around every time I'd go to town. He'd grin an' ask me if I wasn't
ready to sell out YET. I finally closed out the cattle, an' started to
raise only horses. One night my three thorough-bred stallions had their
throats cut, an' then next time I went to town he came in when I was
eatin' my supper, grinnin' as usual, an' asked me if I thought raisin'
hosses would pay.

"I knew what his game was an' tried my best to hold in, but I couldn't
help tellin' him that I didn't suppose it would pay quite so well as
hirin' out to murder hosses would. This was enough for him; he called
me everything he could lay tongue to, and when I rose to my feet he
pulled his gun. The other men in the room were beginnin' to sneer at
me, but I knew the consequences, and started to leave. He grabbed me by
the shoulder an' whirled me around. 'Git down on your knees,' he sez,
'an' 'pologize to me.'

"That was my limit. My cup was nearly full of coffee, an' I dashed the
coffee in his face, hoping to get hold of his gun. But he jumped back
an' fired. He missed me, an' I hit him in the center of the forehead
with the coffee cup. It was big an' heavy, and it--killed him. This was
just what the bunch wanted; but in spite of their precautions I got
away, came north, and got into another business; but that didn't suit
either; so here I am, with the worst gang in this country achin' to get
track o' me."

"How long ago was this, Jim?" sez I.

"Call me Dick," sez he. "It was about four years ago now. I leased my
land for more'n enough to pay taxes, but I suppose it will all blow up
sometime, an' they'll get me in the end."

"I don't suppose the' 's any way to go back an' square it, is there?"
sez I.

"Hell, no!" he sez, bitter as death. "They own Texas."

"Haven't you any friends there who would swear it was self-defense?"
sez I.

"I've got plenty of friends there--that's how I got away; but they
don't dare to fight that cattle crowd in the open," sez he.

"Looks purty bad," sez I.

"It's rotten bad!" sez he. "But this is business all right. Whenever I
hear any one talk about the morals of business it drives me wild. The'
ain't any morals in business. The best it ever is, is straight
gamblin'--I say the BEST it ever is, is straight gamblin'"--Jim's voice
was gritty with w