thet country. Some people don't. An' I say if you can cook or pack or
punch cows or 'most anythin' you'll find a bunk with Old Bill. I
understand he was needin' a hunter most of all. Lions an' wolves bad!
Can you hunt?"

"Hey?" queried Wade, absently, as he inclined his ear. "I'm deaf on one
side."

"Are you a good man with dogs an' guns?" shouted his questioner.

"Tolerable," replied Wade.

"Then you're sure of a job."

"I'll go. Much obliged to you."

"Not a-tall. I'm doin' Belllounds a favor. Reckon you'll put up here
to-night?"

"I always sleep out. But I'll buy feed an' supplies," replied Wade, as
he turned to his horses.

Old Kemp trudged down the road, wagging his gray head as if he was
contending with a memory sadly failing him. An hour later when Bent Wade
rode out of town he passed Kemp, and hailed him. The old-timer suddenly
slapped his leg: "By Golly! I knowed I'd met him before!"

Later, he said with a show of gossipy excitement to his friend the
innkeeper, "Thet fellar was Bent Wade!"