first." Unconsciously, the man began to croon the dismal wail of the
plains:


"O bury me not on the lone praire-e-e
In a narrow grave six foot by three,
Where the buzzard waits and the wind blows free,
Then bury me not on the lone praire-e-e.

Yes, we buried him there on the lone praire-e-e
Where the owl all night hoots mournfulle-e-e
And the blizzard beats and the wind blows free
O'er his lonely grave on the lone praire-e-e.

And the cowboys now as they roam the plain"----


"Hey, choke off on that!" growled Purdy as he advanced with rattling
spurs. "Puts me in mind of _him_--back there in Big Dry. 'Spose I ort
to buried him, but it don't make no difference, now." He passed a
small phial across the bar. "Fifteen or twenty drops," he said
laconically, and laughed. "Nothin' like keepin' yer eyes an' ears
open. Doc kicked like a steer first, but he seen I had his hide hung
on the fence onless he loosened up. But he sure wouldn't weep none at
my demise. If ever I git sick I'll have some other Doc. I'd as soon
send fer a rattlesnake." The man glanced at the clock. "It's workin'
'long to'ards noon, I'll jest slip down to the Long Horn an' stampede
the bunch over here."