“That’sthetrouble，“saidthecow-puncher。“Ido。Awfulfar。“Hestaredoutofthewindow。
“Well，Imightcomesometime。Iwishyou’dwritemealetter。Canyouwrite？““What’sthat？CanIwrite？Ohyes。“
“Icanwrite，an’Icanreadtoo。I’vebeentoschoolinSidney，Nebraska，an’Magaw，Kansas，an’SaltLake——that’sthefinesttownexceptDenver。“
Billyfellintothatcheerfulstrainofcommentwhich，unrepliedto，yetgoesoncontentedandself-sustaining，whileMr。McLeangaveamiablesignsofassent，butchieflylookedoutofthewindow；andwhenthenowinterestedwaitersaidrespectfullythathedesiredtoclosetheroom，theywentouttotheoffice，wherethemoneywasgotoutofthesafeandthebillpaid。
Thestreetswerefullofthebrightsun，andseeminglyatDenver’sgatesstoodthemountainssparkling；anaircrispandpleasantwaftedfromtheirpeaks；nosmokehungamongtheroofs，andtheskyspreadwideoverthecitywithoutastain；itwasholidayupamongthechimneysandtallbuildings，anddownamongthequietground-storiesbelowaswell；andpresentlyfromtheirscatteredpinnaclesthroughthetownthebellsbrokeoutagainstthejocundsilenceofthemorning。
“Don’tyoulikemusic？“inquiredBilly。
“Yes，“saidLin。
Ladieswiththeirhusbandsandchildrenwerepassingandmeeting，orderlyyetgayerthanifitwereonlySunday，andthesalutationsofChristmascamenowandagaintothecow-puncher’sears；butto-day，possessorofhisownshareinthis，Linlookedateveryonewithasortoffriendlychallenge，andyoungBillytalkedalongbesidehim。
“Don’tyouthinkwecouldgoinhere？“Billyasked。Achurchdoorwasopen，andtherichorgansoundedthroughtothepavement。“They’vegoodmusichere，an’theykeepitupwithoutmuchtalkingbetween。I’vebeeninlotsoftimes。“
Theywentinandsattohearthemusic。Betterthantheorgan，itseemedtothem，weretheharmoniousvoicesraisedfromsomewhereoutside，likeunexpectedvisitants；andthepairsatintheirbackseat，toodeepinlisteningtotheprocessionalhymntothinkofrisingindecentimitationofthosearoundthem。Thecrystalmelodyoftherefrainespeciallyreachedtheirunderstandings，andwhenforthefourthtime“Shoutthegladtidings，exultinglysing，“pealedforthandceased，boththedelightedfacesfell。
“Don’tyouwishtherewasmore？“Billywhispered。
“Wishtherewasahundredverses，“answeredLin。
Butcanticlesandresponsesfollowed，withsolittletalkingbetweenthemtheywereheldspellbound，seldomthinkingtoriseorkneel。Lin’seyesrovedoverthechurch，dwellinguponthepillarsintheirevergreen，theflowersandleafywreaths，thetextsofwhiteandgold。“’Peace，good-
willtowardsmen，’“heread。“That’sso。Peaceandgood-will。Yes，that’sso。IexpecttheygotthatsomewheresintheBible。It’sawfulgood，andyou’dneverthinkofityourself。“
Therewasatouchonhisarm，andawomanhandedabooktohim。“Thisisthehymnwehavenow，“shewhispered，gently；andLin，blushingscarlet，tookitpassivelywithoutaword。HeandBillystoodupandheldthebooktogether，dutifullyreadingthewords：
“Itcameuponthemidnightclear，Thatglorioussongofold，FromangelsbendingneartheearthTotouchtheirharpsofgold；
Peaceontheearth——“
Thistunewasmorebeautifulthanall，andLinlosthimselfinit，untilhefoundBillyrecallinghimwithafingeruponthewords，theconcludingones：
“AndthewholeworldsentbackthesongWhichnowtheangelssing。“
Themusicroseanddescendedtoitslovelyandsimpleend；and，forasecondtimeinDenver，Linbrushedahandacrosshiseyes。Heturnedhisfacefromhisneighbor，frowningcrossly；andsincethehearthasreasonswhichReasondoesnotknow，heseemedtohimselfafool；butwhentheservicewasoverandhecameout，herepeatedagain，“’Peaceandgood-will。’WhenIrunontotheBishopofWyomingI’lltellhimifhe’llpreachonthemwordsI’llbethere。“
“Couldn’tweshootyourpistolnow？“askedBilly。
“Sure，boy。Ain’tyu’hungry，though？“
“No。Iwishwewereawayoffupthere。Don’tyou？“
“Themountains？Theylookpretty，sowhite!Aheapbetter’nhouses。Why，we’llgothere!There’strainstoGolden。We’llshootaroundamongthefoothills。“
ToGoldentheyimmediatelywent，andafteramealthere，wanderedintheopencountryuntilthecartridgesweregone，thesunwaslow，andBillywaswalkedoffhisyoungheels——atruthhelearnedcompleteinonehorridmoment，andbattledtoconceal。
“Lame!“heechoed，angrily。“Iain’t。“
“Shucks!“saidLin，afterthenexttensteps。“Youare，andbothfeet。“
“Tellyou，there’sstoneshere，an’I’mjusta-skippingthem。“
Lin，briefly，tooktheboyinhisarmsandcarriedhimtoGolden。“I’mplayedoutmyself，“hesaid，sittinginthehotelandlookinglugubriouslyatBillyonabed。“AndIain’tfittohavechargeofahog。“Hecameandputhishandontheboy’shead。
“I’mnotsick，“saidthecripple。“ItellyouI’mbully。Youwaitan’seemeeatdinner。“
ButLinhadhotwaterandcoldwaterandsalt，andwasanhouruponhiskneesbathingthehotfeet。AndthenBillycouldnoteatdinner!
TherewasadoctorinGolden；butinspiteofhislightprescriptionandmostreasonableobservations，Mr。McLeanpassedafoolishnightofvigil，whileBillyslept，quitewellatfirst，and，asthehourspassed，betterandbetter。Inthemorninghewasentirelybrisk，thoughstiff。
“Icouldn’tworkquickto-day，“hesaid。“ButIguessonedaywon’tlosememytrade。“
“Howd’yu’mean？“askedLin。
“Why，I’vegotregulars，youknow。SidneyEllisan’PeteGoodehastheirs，an’wedon’tcuteachother。I’vegotMr。Danielsan’Mr。Fisheran’lots，an’ifyoulivedinDenverI’dshineyourbootseverydayfornothing。IwishedyoulivedinDenver。“
“Shinemyboots？Yu’llnever!Andyu’don’tblackDanielsorFisher，oranyoftheoutfit。“
“Why，I’mdoingfirst-rate，“saidBilly，surprisedattheswearingintowhichMr。McLeannowburst。“An’Iain’tbigenoughtogettomakemoneyatanyotherjob。“
“Iwanttoseethatengine-man，“mutteredLin。“Idon’tlikeyoursmokin’
friend。“
“PeteGoode？Why，he’sawfulsmart。Don’tyouthinkhe’ssmart？“
“Smart’snothin’，“observedMr。McLean。
“PetehaslearnedmeandSidneyalot，“pursuedBilly，engagingly。
“I’llbethehas!“growledthecow-puncher；andagainBillywastakenabackathislanguage。
Itwasnotsosimple，thiscase。TotheperturbedmindofMr。McLeanitgrewlesssimpleduringthatdayatGolden，whileBillyrecovered，andtalked，andatehisinnocentmeals。Thecow-puncherwasfartoowisetothinkforasinglemomentofrestoringtherunawaytohisdebauchedandshiftlessparents。Possessedofsomeimagination，hewentthroughasceneinwhichheappearedattheLuskthresholdwithBillyandforgiveness，andintrudeduponaconjugalassaultandbattery。“Shucks!“saidhe。“Thekidwouldbeoffagaininsideaweek。AndIdon’twanthimthere，anyway。“
Denver，uponthefollowingday，sawthelittlebootblackagainathiscorner，withhistradenotlost；butnearhimstoodatall，singularman，withhazeleyesandasulkyexpression。Andcitizensduringthatweeknoticed，asanewsightinthestreets，thetallmanandthelittleboywalkingtogether。Sometimestheywouldbeinshops。Theboyseemedashappyaspossible，talkingconstantly，whilethemanseldomsaidaword，andhisfacewasserious。
UponNew-year’sEveGovernorBarkerwasovertakenbyMr。McLeanridingahorseupHillStreet，Cheyenne。
“Hello!“saidBarker，staringhumorouslythroughhisglasses。“Haveagooddrunk？“
“Changedmymind，“saidLin，grinning。“ProvesI’vegotone。StruckChristmasallright，though。“
“Who’syourfriend？“inquiredhisExcellency。
“ThisisMisterBillyLusk。Himandmehaveagreedthattownsain’tnicetolivein。IfJudgeHenry’sforemanandhiswifewon’tboardhimatSunkCreek——why，I’llfixitsomehow。“
Thecow-puncherandhisResponsibilityrodeontogethertowardtheopenplain。
“SufferinMoses!“remarkedhisExcellency。
SEPAR’SVIGILANTE
Wehadfallenhalfasleep，myponyandI，aswewentjoggingandjoggingthroughthelongsunnyafternoon。Ourhillsofyesterdaywereapale-bluecoastsunkalmostawaybehindus，andaheadourgoallayshining，alittleislandofhousesinthisquietmid-oceanofsage-brush。Fortwohoursithadlookedasclearandnearasnow，risingintosightacrossthehugedeadcalmandsinkingwhilewetravelledourundulating，imperceptiblemiles。Thetrainhadcomeandgoneinvisibly，exceptforitsslowpillarofsmokeIhadwatchedmovewestwardagainstWyoming’sstainlesssky。ThoughIwasstillfaroff，thewater-tankandotherbuildingsstoodoutplainandcompletetomyeyes，likechildren’sblocksarrangedandforgottenonthefloor。SoIrodealong，hypnotizedbythesamenessofthelazy，splendidplain，andalmostunawareofthedistantrider，till，suddenly，hewascloseandhailingme。
“They’vecaved!“heshouted。
“Who？“Icried，thusawakened。
“Ah，thefoolcompany，“saidhe，quietinghisvoiceashedrewnear。
“They’veshedtheirhaughtiness，“headded，confidingly，asifImustknowallaboutit。
“Wheredidtheylearnthatwisdom？“Iasked，notknowingintheleast。
“Experience，“hecalledoverhisshoulderforalreadywehadmetandpassed；“nothinglikeexperienceforsweatingthefatoffthebrain。“
Heyelledmeabrotherlygood-bye，andIamsorrynevertohaveknownmoreofhim，forIinclinetovalueanystrangersojoyous。ButnowI
wakedtheponyandtrottedbriskly，surmisingastothecompanyanditshaughtiness。Ihadbeenviewingmydestinationacrossthesagebrushforsospun-outatimethatasconstantlyinWyomingjourneystheemotionofarrivalhadevaporatedlongbeforetheevent，andIwelcomedemploymentformyotherwisehigh-and-drymind。Probablyhemeanttherailroadcompany；certainlysomethinglargehadhappened。EvenasI
dismountedattheplatformanotherhilariouscow-punchercameoutofthestation，and，atonceremarking，“They’regoingtoleaveusalone，“
sprangonhishorseandgallopedtothecorralsdowntheline，wheresomecattlewerebeingloadedintoatrain。Iwentinsideformymail，andherewerefourmorecow-punchersplayingwiththeagent。Theyhadgotaletterawayfromhim，andheworehisdailylookofanxietytoappreciatethejestsoftheserollickingpeople。“Readit!“theysaidtome；andI
didreadtheprivatedocument，andlearnedthattherailroadwasgoingtowaiveitsrighttoenforcelawandorderhere，andwouldtrusttoSepar’sgoodfeeling。“Nothingmore，“theletterran，“willbedoneabouttheinitialoutrageorthesubsequentvandalisms。Weshallpassoverourwastedoutlayinthehopethatapolicyoffriendshipwillproveourgenuinedesiretobenefitthatsection。
“’Initialoutrage，’“quotedoneoftheagent’largeplaymates。“Ain’ttheyfurgivin’？“
“Well，“saidI，“youwouldhavesomenameforityourselfifyousentadeputysherifftolookafteryourrights，andhecamebacktiedtothecow-catcher!“
Themansmiledluxuriouslyoverthismemory。
“Wedidn’thurthimnone。Justreturnedhimtohishome。HearaboutthelabelHoneyWigginpinnedontohim？’Sendusalongonedozenaspersample。’Honey’squaint!Yes，“hedrawledjudicially，“I’dbemadatthat。Butifyou’remakingpeacewithamanbecauseit’sconvenientwhy，yourwordsmustbepleasanterthanifyoureallyfeltpleasant。“Hetookthepaperfromme，andread，sardonically：“’Subsequentvandalisms……
wastedoutlay。’Isupposetheyrunthisstationfromcharitytothecattle。Savesthepoorthingswalkingsofartotheotherrailroad’Policyoffriendship……genuinedesire’——ohmouth-wash!“And，shakinghisbold，cleverhead，hedaintilyflattenedtheletterupontheheadoftheagent。“Tubercle，“saidhethiswastheirnamefortheagent，whohadtoldallofusabouthislungs，“itain’tyourfaultwesawtheirfineletter。Theyjustintendedyoushouldgiveitouthowtheywouldn’tbotherusanymore，andthenwe’dactsquare。Theboys’llsituplateoverthisjoke。“