n
shooting pebbles, nails, and what-not out of nearly useless
blunderbusses; or using bows, arrows, and lances will stand up very long
against straight-shooting troops armed with the best rifles; add to this
the great difference in morale, and the ever-present distrust of the
officers, and a fair and honest understanding may be arrived at.

Hawkens' clerk took down one of the great rifles to go over it with an
oiled rag, which was another example of painting the lily. The weapon
was stocked to the muzzle and shot a bullet weighing thirty-two to the
pound, each thus being an honest half-ounce of lead. It was brass
mounted and had a poorly done engraving of a buffalo on the trap in its
stock. He turned to replace it and take down another when the sound of
the opening door made him pause and face the incoming customer.

The newcomer was neither hunter nor trapper, gambler nor merchant, to
judge from his nondescript and mixed attire. His left hand had an ugly
welt running across the base of the palm and it had not been healed long
enough to have lost its distinctive color. In his right hand he carried
a rifle which was new to that part of the country, and he slid it onto
the counter.

"Swap ye," he gruffly said, stepping back and leering at the clerk. "Too
ak'ard fer me. Can't git used ter it, nohow. I like a stock with a big
drop--this un makes me hump my head down like a bull buffaler. That's
th' wuss o' havin' a long neck."

The clerk glanced at the repeating Colt and then at the injured hand.
The faintest possible suggestion of a knowing smile flitted across his
face, and he shook his head.

"Those are too dangerous," he replied. "We don't handle them."

"W'y, that's a fine rifle!" growled the customer, a heavy frown
settling on his coarse face. "Six shots, with them newfangled caps,
without re-loadin'. She's a plumb fine weapon!"

"Looks good," laughed the clerk; "but we don't care to handle them."

"They've sorta put yer nose outer j'int, ain't they?" sneered the
customer. "Wall, ye kin bet yer peltries I wouldn't be givin' ye th'
chanct to handle _this_ un," he angrily declared, "if it had a bigger
drop an' warn't so ak'ard fer a man like me. Ye can't find a rifle in
yer danged store as kin hold a candle ter it. I bet ye ain't never seen
one afore!"

"It's our business to keep informed," responded the clerk, still
smiling. "We heard all about that rifle as soon as it was patented."

"But ye allus could se