where yuh knew the lay uh the land, instead uh drifting out here where
it's all plumb strange to yuh."

"Well, several incidents influenced my actions," Mr. Dill explained
quietly. "I had always lived within twenty miles of my birthplace.
I owned a general store in a little place near the old farm, and did
well. The farm paid well, also. Then mother died and the place did
not seem quite the same. A railroad was built through the town and the
land I owned there rose enormously in value. I had a splendid location
for a modern store but I could not seem to make up my mind to change.
So I sold out everything--store, land, the home farm and all, and
received a good figure--a _very_ good figure. I was very fortunate in
owning practically the whole townsite--the new townsite, that is. I
do not like these so-called booms, however, and so I left to begin
somewhere else. I did not care to enter the mercantile business again,
and our doctor advised me to live as much as possible in the open air.
Mother died of consumption. So I decided to come West and buy a cattle
ranch. I believed I should like it. I always liked animals."

"Uh-huh--so do I." It was not just what Charming Billy most wanted to
say, but that much was perfectly safe, and noncommittal to say.

Mr. Dill was silent a minute, looking speculatively across to
the Hardup Saloon which was practically empty and therefore quite
peaceful. Billy, because long living on the range made silence easy,
smoked and said nothing.

"Mr. Boyle," began Dill at last, in the hesitating way that he had
used when Billy first met him, "you say you know this country, and
have worked at cattle-raising for a good many years--"