eappeared with his can of coffee.

"So that's what you call that creek back there? Well, it don't need no
Beaver hitched on to it to say what I'd call it. I come through last
night, but I'm dry now."

The cattle-man proffered Sundown tobacco and papers. They smoked and
gazed at the stars. "Said your friend was a college man. What was his
name?" queried Corliss, turning to glance at Sundown.

"Well, his real name was Billy Corliss, but I called him jest Bill."

"Corliss! When did you lose track of him?"

"In that wreck, 'bout a year ago. We was ridin' a fast freight goin'
west. He said he was goin' home, but he never said where it was. Hit
a open switch--so they said after--and when they pulled the stitches,
and took that plaster dingus off me leg, I starts out huntin' for
Billy. Nobody knowed anything about him. Wasn't no signs in the
wreck,--so they said. You see I was in that fadeaway joint six weeks."

"What did he look like?"

"Billy? More like a girl than a man. Slim-like, with blue eyes and
kind o' bright, wavy-like hair. He never said nothin' about his folks.
He was a awful quiet kid."

John Corliss studied Sundown's face. "You say he was killed in a
wreck?"

"I ain't sure. But I reckon he was. It was a bad one. He was ridin'
a empty, just ahead of me. Then the whole train buckled up and
somethin' hit me on the lid. That's all I remember, till after."

"What are you going to do now? Go back to Antelope?"

"Me? Guess I will. I was lookin' for a job cooking but the pay ain't
right here. What you lookin' at me that way for?"

"Sit still. I'm all right. My brother Will left home three years ago.
Didn't say a word to any one. He'd been to school East, and he wrote
some things for the magazines--poetry. I was wondering--"

"Say, mister, what's your name?"

"John Corliss."

"Gee Gosh! I knowed when I et that rabbit this mornin' that somethin'
was goin' to happen. Thought it was po'try, but I was mistook."

"So you ate your half of the rabbit this morning, eh?"

"Sure!!--"

"And you gave me the rest. You sure are loco."

"Mebby I be. Anyhow, I'm used to bein' hungry. They ain't so much of
me to keep as you--crossways, I mean. Of course, up and down--"

"Well, I'm right sorry," said Corliss. "You're the queerest Hobo I
ever saw."

"That's what they all say," said Sundown, grinning. "I ain't no common
hand-out grabber, not me! I learnt things from Bill. He ha