visitedhershehadamannamedCrowJoeworkingforher,aslab-
sided,shifty-eyedpersonwholater,asIheardmyforemanexplain,“skippedthecountrywithabunchofhorses。”Themistressoftheranchmadefirst-classbuckskinshirtsofgreatdurability。Theoneshemadeforme,andwhichIusedforyears,wasusedbyoneofmysonsinArizonaacoupleofwintersago。Ihadriddendownintothecountryaftersomelosthorses,andvisitedtheranchtogethertomakemethebuckskinshirtinquestion。Therewere,atthemoment,threeIndiansthere,Sioux,wellbehavedandself-respecting,andsheexplainedtomethattheyhadbeenrestingtherewaitingfordinner,andthatawhitemanhadcomealongandtriedtorunofftheirhorses。
TheIndianswereonthelookout,however,and,runningout,theycaughttheman;but,afterretakingtheirhorsesanddeprivinghimofhisgun,theylethimgo。“Idon’tseewhytheylethimgo。”exclaimedmyhostess。“Idon’tbelieveinstealingIndians’horsesanymorethanwhitefolks’;soItold’emtheycouldgoalongandhanghim——I’dnevercheep。Anyhow,Iwon’tchargethemanythingfortheirdinner。”
concludedmyhostess。Shewasinadvanceoftheusualmoralityofthetimeandplace,whichdrewasharplinebetweenstealingcitizens’
horsesandstealinghorsesfromtheGovernmentortheIndians。
Afairlydecentcitizen,JapHunt,wholongagometaviolentdeath,exemplifiedthisattitudetowardsIndiansinsomeremarksIonceheardhimmake。Hehadstartedahorseranch,andhadquitehonestlypurchasedanumberofbroken-downhorsesofdifferentbrands,withtheviewofdoctoringthemandsellingthemagain。Aboutthistimetherehadbeenmuchhorse-stealingandcattle-killinginourTerritoryandinMontana,andunderthedirectionofsomeofthebigcattle-growersacommitteeofvigilanteshadbeenorganizedtotakeactionagainsttherustlers,asthehorsethievesandcattlethieveswerecalled。Thevigilantes,orstranglers,astheywerelocallyknown,didtheirworkthoroughly;but,asalwayshappenswithbodiesofthekind,towardtheendtheygrewrecklessintheiractions,paidoffprivategrudges,andhungmenonslightprovocation。RidingintoJapHunt’sranch,theynearlyhunghimbecausehehadsomanyhorsesofdifferentbrands。Hewasfinallyletoff。Hewasmuchupsetbytheincident,andexplainedagainandagain,“TheideaofsayingthatIwasahorsethief!Why,I
neverstoleahorseinmylife——leastwaysfromawhiteman。Idon’tcountIndiansnortheGovernment,ofcourse。”Japhadbeenrearedamongmenstillinthestageoftribalmorality,andwhiletheyrecognizedtheirobligationstooneanother,boththeGovernmentandtheIndiansseemedalienbodies,inregardtowhichthelawsofmoralitydidnotapply。
Ontheotherhand,partiesofsavageyoungbuckswouldtreatlonelysettlersjustasbadly,andinadditionsometimesmurderthem。Suchapartywasgenerallycomposedofyoungfellowsburningtodistinguishthemselves。SomeoneoftheirnumberwouldhaveobtainedapassfromtheIndianAgentallowinghimtotraveloffthereservation,whichpasswouldbeflourishedwhenevertheiractionwasquestionedbybodiesofwhitesofequalstrength。Ioncehadatriflingencounterwithsuchaband。Iwasmakingmywayalongtheedgeofthebadlands,northwardfrommylowerranch,andwasjustcrossingaplateauwhenfiveIndiansrodeupoverthefurtherrim。Theinstanttheysawmetheywhippedouttheirgunsandracedfullspeedatme,yellingandfloggingtheirhorses。Iwasonafavoritehorse,Manitou,whowasawiseoldfellow,withnervesnottobeshakenbyanything。Iatonceleapedoffhimandstoodwithmyrifleready。
ItwaspossiblethattheIndiansweremerelymakingabluffandintendednomischief。ButIdidnotliketheiractions,andIthoughtitlikelythatifIallowedthemtogetholdofmetheywouldatleasttakemyhorseandrifle,andpossiblykillme。SoIwaiteduntiltheywereahundredyardsoffandthendrewabeadonthefirst。Indians——
and,forthematterofthat,whitemen——donotliketorideinonamanwhoiscoolandmeansshooting,andinatwinklingeverymanwaslyingoverthesideofhishorse,andallfivehadturnedandweregallopingbackwards,havingalteredtheircourseasquicklyassomanytealducks。
Afterthisoneofthemmadethepeacesign,withhisblanketfirst,andthen,asherodetowardme,withhisopenhand。Ihaltedhimatafairdistanceandaskedhimwhathewanted。Heexclaimed,“How!MegoodInjun,megoodInjun。”andtriedtoshowmethedirtypieceofpaperonwhichhisagencypasswaswritten。ItoldhimwithsinceritythatIwasgladthathewasagoodIndian,butthathemustnotcomeanycloser。Hethenaskedforsugarandtobacco。ItoldhimIhadnone。AnotherIndianbeganslowlydriftingtowardmeinspiteofmycallingouttokeepback,soIoncemoreaimedwithmyrifle,whereuponbothIndiansslippedtotheothersideoftheirhorsesandgallopedoff,withoathsthatdidcredittoatleastonesideoftheiracquaintancewithEnglish。Inowmountedandpushedovertheplateauontotheopenprairie。InthosedaysanIndian,althoughnotasgoodashotasawhiteman,wasinfinitelybetteratcrawlingunderandtakingadvantageofcover;andtheworstthingawhitemancoulddowastogetintocover,whereasoutintheopenifhekepthisheadhehadagoodchanceofstandingoffevenhalfadozenassailants。TheIndiansaccompaniedmeforacoupleofmiles。ThenIreachedtheopenprairie,andresumedmynorthwardride,notbeingfurthermolested。
Intheolddaysintheranchcountrywedependedupongameforfreshmeat。Nobodylikedtokillabeef,andalthoughnowandthenamaverickyearlingmightbekilledontheround-up,mostofuslookedaskanceatthedeed,becauseifthepracticeofbeef-killingwaseverallowedtostart,therustlers——thehorsethievesandcattlethieves——
wouldbesuretoseizeonitasanexcuseforgeneralslaughter。
Gettingmeatfortheranchusuallydevolveduponme。IalmostalwayscarriedariflewhenIrode,eitherinascabbardundermythigh,oracrossthepommel。OftenIwouldpickupadeerorantelopewhileaboutmyregularwork,whenvisitingalinecamporridingafterthecattle。AtothertimesIwouldmakeaday’stripafterthem。Inthefallwesometimestookawagonandmadeaweek’shunt,returningwitheightortendeercarcasses,andperhapsanelkoramountainsheepaswell。Ineverbecamemorethanafairhunter,andattimesIhadmostexasperatingexperiences,eitherfailingtoseegamewhichIoughttohaveseen,orcommittingsomeblunderinthestalk,orfailingtokillwhenIfired。Lookingback,IaminclinedtosaythatifIhadanygoodqualityasahunteritwasthatofperseverance。“Itisdoggedthatdoesit“inhuntingasinmanyotherthings。Unlessinwhollyexceptionalcases,whenwewereveryhungry,Ineverkilledanythingbutbucks。
OccasionallyImadelongtripsawayfromtheranchandamongtheRockyMountainswithmyranchforemanMerrifield;orinlateryearswithTazewellWoody,JohnWillis,orJohnGoff。Wehuntedbears,boththeblackandthegrizzly,cougarsandwolves,andmoose,wapiti,andwhitegoat。OnoneofthesetripsIkilledabisonbull,andIalsokilledabisonbullontheLittleMissourisomefiftymilessouthofmyranchonatripwhichJoeFerrisandItooktogether。Itwasratheraroughtrip。Eachofuscarriedonlyhisslickerbehindhimonthesaddle,withsomeflourandbacondoneupinit。Wemetwithallkindsofmisadventures。Finallyonenight,whenweweresleepingbyaslimylittleprairiepoolwheretherewasnotastickofwood,wehadtotiethehorsestothehornsofoursaddles;andthenwewenttosleepwithourheadsonthesaddles。Inthemiddleofthenightsomethingstampededthehorses,andawaytheywent,withthesaddlesafterthem。
AswejumpedtoourfeetJoeeyedmewithanevidentsuspicionthatI
wastheJonahoftheparty,andsaid:“OLord!I’veneverdoneanythingtodeservethis。Didyoueverdoanythingtodeservethis?”
Inadditiontomyprivateduties,Isometimesservedasdeputysheriffforthenorthernendofourcounty。ThesheriffandIcrisscrossedinourpublicandprivaterelations。HeoftenworkedformeasahiredhandatthesametimethatIwashisdeputy。Hisname,oratleastthenamehewentby,wasBillJones,andastherewereintheneighborhoodseveralBillJoneses——ThreeSevenBillJones,TexasBillJones,andthelike——thesheriffwasknownasHellRoaringBillJones。Hewasathoroughfrontiersman,excellentinallkindsofemergencies,andaverygameman。Ibecamemuchattachedtohim。Hewasathoroughlygoodcitizenwhensober,buthewasalittlewildwhendrunk。
Unfortunately,towardtheendofhislifehegottodrinkingveryheavily。When,in1905,JohnBurroughsandIvisitedtheYellowstonePark,poorBillJones,verymuchdownintheworld,wasdrivingateaminGardineroutsidethepark。Ihadlookedforwardtoseeinghim,andhewasequallyanxioustoseeme。Hekepttellinghiscroniesofourintimacyandofwhatweweregoingtodotogether,andthengotdrinking;andtheresultwasthatbythetimeIreachedGardinerhehadtobecarriedoutandleftinthesage-brush。WhenIcameoutofthepark,Isentoninadvancetotellthemtobesuretokeephimsober,andtheydidso。Butitwasarathersadinterview。Theoldfellowhadgonetopieces,andsoonafterIlefthegotlostinablizzardandwasdeadwhentheyfoundhim。
BillJoneswasagun-fighterandalsoagoodmanwithhisfists。Ononeoccasiontherewasanelectionintown。Therehadbeenmanythreatsthatthepartyofdisorderwouldimportsectionhandsfromtheneighboringrailwaystationstodownourside。IdidnotreachMedora,theforlornlittlecattletownwhichwasourcountyseat,untiltheelectionwaswellunderway。Ithenaskedoneofmyfriendsiftherehadbeenanydisorder。BillJoneswasstandingby。“Disorderhell!”
saidmyfriend。“BillJonesjuststoodtherewithonehandonhisgunandtheotherpointingovertowardthenewjailwheneveranymanwhodidn’thavearighttovotecamenearthepolls。Therewasonlyoneofthemtriedtovote,andBillknockedhimdown。Lord!”addedmyfriend,meditatively,“thewaythatmanfell!”“Well。”struckinBillJones,“ifhehadn’tfellI’dhavewalkedroundbehindhimtoseewhatwasproppinghimup!”
InthedayswhenIlivedontheranchIusuallyspentmostofthewinterintheEast,andwhenIreturnedintheearlyspringIwasalwaysinterestedinfindingoutwhathadhappenedsincemydeparture。
OnoneoccasionIwasmetbyBillJonesandSylvaneFerris,andinthecourseofourconversationtheymentioned“thelunatic。”Thisledtoaquestiononmypart,andSylvaneFerrisbeganthestory:“Well,yousee,hewasonatrainandheshotthenewsboy。Atfirsttheyweren’tgoingtodoanythingtohim,fortheythoughthejusthaditinforthenewsboy。Butthensomebodysaid,’Why,he’splumbcrazy,andhe’sliabletoshootanyofus!’andthentheythrewhimoffthetrain。ItwashereatMedora,andtheyaskedifanybodywouldtakecareofhim,andBillJonessaidhewould,becausehewasthesheriffandthejailhadtworooms,andhewaslivinginoneandwouldputthelunaticintheother。”HereBillJonesinterrupted:“Yes,andmorefoolme!I
wouldn’ttakechargeofanotherlunaticifthewholecountyaskedme。
Why“withtheairofamanannouncinganastoundingdiscovery,“thatlunaticdidn’thavehisrightsenses!Hewouldn’teat,tillmeandSnydergothimdownontheshavingsandmadehimeat。”Snyderwasahuge,happy-go-lucky,kind-heartedPennsylvaniaDutchman,andwasBillJones’schiefdeputy。Billcontinued:“Youknow,Snyder’ssoft-
hearted,heis。Well,he’dthinkthatlunaticlookedpeaked,andhe’dtakehimoutforanairing。Thentheboyswouldgetjoshinghimastohowmuchstarthecouldgivehimovertheprairieandcatchhimagain。”Apparentlytheamountofthestartgiventhelunaticdependedupontheamountofthebettowhichthejoshingledup。IaskedBillwhathewouldhavedoneifSnyderhadn’tcaughtthelunatic。Thiswasevidentlyanewidea,andherespondedthatSnyderalwaysdidcatchhim。“Well,butsupposehehadn’tcaughthim?”“Well。”saidBillJones,“ifSnyderhadn’tcaughtthelunatic,I’dhavewhaledhelloutofSnyder!”
UnderthesecircumstancesSnyderranhisbestandalwaysdidcatchthepatient。Itmustnotbegatheredfromthisthatthelunaticwasbadlytreated。Hewaswelltreated。HebecomegreatlyattachedtobothBillJonesandSnyder,andheobjectedstronglywhen,afterthefrontiertheoryoftreatmentoftheinsanehadreceivedafulltrial,hewasfinallysentofftotheterritorialcapital。Itwasmerelythatalltherelationsoflifeinthatplaceanddayweresomanagedastogiveampleopportunityfortheexpressionofindividuality,whetherinsherifforranchman。Thelocalpracticaljokeronceattemptedtohavesomefunattheexpenseofthelunatic,andBillJonesdescribedtheresult。“YouknowBixby,don’tyou?Well。”withdeepdisapproval,“Bixbythinksheisfunny,hedoes。He’dcomeandhe’dwakethatlunaticupatnight,andI’dhavetogetupandsoothehim。IfixedBixbyallright,though。Ifastenedaropeonthelatch,andnexttimeBixbycameIletthelunaticoutonhim。He’mostbitBixby’snoseoff。IlearnedBixby!”