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flavor of nights about the camp…fire and other nights spent in driving sleet；
also days when the first flowers come and the wide beds of the desert
rivers are swollen with overbrimming floods； the cruel exposure of winter；
the thrilling balminess of early springall spoke to him again from that
motionless figure。 He recalled companions of his boyhood and youth； but
they were not akin to this child of the desert mountains。 Still more alien
were those of the saloon stations； the haunts at the outskirts of civilization。
It seemed to him that in this young girl； who bad the look and poise of a
woman； he had found what hitherto he had vainly sought in the
wildernessthe beauty and the charm of it； refined and separated from its
sordidness and its uncouthnessin a word； from all that was base and ugly。
It was for this that he had left his home in the East。 Here was typified that
loveliness of the unbroken wilderness without its profanity； its
drunkenness； its obscenity； its terrible hardships。
At last he tore himself away； retraced his steps as cautiously as he had
conic； and flung himself upon the pony left waiting at a sheltered nook far
from the cove。 As he sped over the plains toward the distant herd； it came
to him suddenly in a way not before experienced； that it was May； that the
air was balmy and fragrant； and that the land； softly lighted in the clear
twilight； was singularly beautiful。 He seemed breathing the roses back
home which recalled another face； but not for long。 The last time he had
seen that eastern face； the dew had lain on the early morning roseshow
could a face so different make him think of them？ But imagination is
sometimes a bold robber； and now it did not hesitate to steal those
memories of sweet scents to encloud the picture of the mountain…girl。
The G…Bar headquarters was on the western bank of what was then
known as Red River； but was really the North Fork of Red River。 〃Old
Man Walker；〃 who was scarcely past middle age； had built his corral on
the margin of the plain which extended to that point in an unbroken level
from a great distance； and which； having reached that point； dropped
without warning； a sheer precipice； to an extensive lake。 The lake was fed
by springs issuing from the bluffs； not far beyond it and not much lower；
was the bed of the river； wide； very red and almost dry。 Beyond the river
rose the bold hills of the Kiowa country； a white line chiseled across the
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face of each； as if Time had entertained some thought of their destruction；
but finding each a huge block of living rock； had passed on to torture and
shift and alter the bed of the river。
The young man reached the corral after a ride of twelve or thirteen
miles； most of the distance through a country of difficult sand。 He
galloped up to the rude enclosure； surrounded by a cloud of dust through
which his keen gray eyes discovered Mizzoo on the eve of leaving camp。
Mizzoo was one of the men whose duty it was to ride the line all night
the line that the young man had guarded all dayto keep Walker's cattle
from drifting。
〃Come on； Mizz；〃 called the young man； as the other swung upon his
broncho； 〃I'm going back with you。〃
The lean； leather…skinned； sandy…mustached cattleman uttered words
not meet for print； but expressive of hearty pleasure。 〃Ain't you had
enough of it； Bill？〃 he added。 〃I'd think you'd want to lay up for
tomorrow's work。〃
〃Oh； I ain't sleepy；〃 the young man declared； as they rode away side by
side。 〃I couldn't close an eye tonightand I want to talk。〃
The cattleman chuckled enjoyingly。 It was lonely and monotonous
work； riding back and forth through the darkness； keeping a sharp lookout
for wolves or Indians； driving straggling cattle back to the herd； in brief；
doing the picket duty of the plains。
Mizzoo was so called from his habit of attributing his most emphatic
aphorisms to 〃his aunt； Miss Sue of Missouri〃a lady held by his
companions to be a purely fictitious character； a convenient 〃Mrs。 Harris〃
to give weight to sayings worn smooth from centuries of use。
Of all the boys of the ranch； Mizzoo found Wilfred Compton most
companionable。 When off duty； they were usually to be found near each
other； whether awake or asleep； and when Mizzoo； on entering some
village at the edge of the desert； sought relaxation from a life of routine by
shooting through the windows and spurring his pony into the saloons； it
was the young man； commonly known as Bill； who lingered behind to
advance money for damages to the windows； or who kept close to the
drunken ranger in order to repair the damages Mizzoo had done to his own
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soul and body。
〃I'll talk my head off；〃 Mizzoo declared； 〃if that'll keep you on the
move with me； for it's one thing meeting a ghost in the desert all alone；
and quite another when there's a pair of us。 Yes； I know you don't believe
nothing I say about that spirit； and I only hope we'll come on it tonight！ It
ain't been a week since I see something creeping along behind me whilst I
was riding the line； a little thing as swift as a jack…rabbit and as sly as a
coyote something with long arms and short legs and the face of an Injun…
…〃
〃Of course it WAS an Indian；〃 returned the young man carelessly。 〃He
is hanging about here to steal some of our horses。 I don't want you to talk
about your ghost； I've heard of him a thousand times。〃
〃Bill； the more you talk about a ghost； the more impressive he gets。 I
tell you that wasn't no live Injun！ Didn't I blaze away at him with my six…
shooter and empty all my barrels for nothing？ No； sir； it's the same spirit
that haunts the trail from Vernon； Texas； to Coffeyville。 I've shot at that red
devil this side of Fort Sill； and at Skeleton Spring； and at Bull Foot Spring；
and a mile from Doan's storealways at night； for it never rises except at
night； as befits a good ghost。 I reckon I'll waste cartridges on that spook as
long as I hit the trail； but I don't never expect to draw blood。 Others has
saw him； too； but me more especial。 I reckon I'm the biggest sinner of the
G…Bar and has to be plagued most frequent with visitations to make me a
better man when I get to be old。〃
〃He's a knowing old ghost if he's found you out； Mizzoo； but if you
want my company； tonight； you'll drop the Indian。 What I want you to talk
about is that little girl you met on the trail down in Texas； seven years
ago。〃
Mizzoo burst out in a hearty laugh。 〃I reckon it suits you better to take
her as a little kid；〃 he cried； his tall form shaking convulsively。 〃I'll never
forget how you looked； Bill； when we tried to run a bluff on her daddy last
month！〃
The other did not answer with a smile。 Apparently the reminiscence
pleased him less than it did the older man。 He spurred his horse
impatiently； and it plunged forward through the drifted banks of white
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sand。
Mizzoo hastened to overtake him； still chuckling。 〃Old Man Walker
never knowed what a proposition he was handing us when he ordered us
to drive the old mountain…lion out of his lair！ Looks like the six of us
ought to have done the trick。 Them other fellows looked as wild as bears；
and you was just like a United States soldier marching on a Mexican
strongholt； not stopping at nothing； and it ain't for me to say how brave
_I_ done。 Pity you and me was at the tail…end of the attacking party。 Fust
thing we knowed； them other four galoots was falling backwards a…getting
out of that trap of a cove； and the bullets was whizzing about our ears〃
He broke off to shout with laughter。 〃And it was all done by one old
settler and his gal； them standing out open and free with their breech…
loade