range ways and of the business of "raising wild cattle for the Eastern
markets."

He even came to speak quite easily of "outfits" in all the nice shades
of meaning which are attached to that hard-worked term. He could lay
the saddle-blanket smooth and unwrinkled, slap the saddle on and cinch
it without fixing it either upon the withers or upon the rump of his
long-suffering mount. He could swing his quirt without damaging his
own person, and he rode with his stirrups where they should be to
accommodate the length of him--all of which speaks eloquently of the
honest intentions of Dill's confidential adviser.




CHAPTER VIII.

_Just a Day-dream._


Charming Billy rode humped over the saddle-horn, as rides one whose
mind feels the weight of unpleasant thoughts. Twice he had glanced
uncertainly at his companion, opening his lips for speech; twice he
had closed them silently and turned again to the uneven trail.

Mr. Dill also was humped forward in the saddle, but if one might judge
from his face it was because he was cold. The wind blew chill from out
the north and they were facing it; the trail they followed was frozen
hard and the gray clouds above promised snow. The cheek-bones of Dill
were purple and the point of his long nose was very red. Tears stood