It became at once apparent that he must make no rambling talk. The history of the past five days, while illuminating and diverting, could not be calculated to inspire the casual onlooker with religious awe. If aught was to be said, it must, perforce, be meaty and direct. Cassidy grasped the irritating fireman firmly by the arm. Fixing him with a baleful eye, he spoke: "This yere lady has wanted me to say something tuh yuh about her husband dyin'. As far as I kin understand, that part is all right. That's what he done. He's dead, all right; there ain't no mistake about _that_. Wot I'm askin' _yuh_ is: Was he a _man_? Was he good for anything? Wot did he do when he wasn't workin'? Was he a low, mean cuss, always goin' round with bums?" "How do I know?" asked the fireman, in an aggrieved tone. "Ouch! Say, leggo my arm!" Cassidy's grip tightened. The fireman groaned dismally and subsided. "Judgin' from wot I kin see, I should say he was! I mean he _was_ good fer something. I should say he was surely a terrible weaver if he couldn't keep straight, hitched up alongside of the--the lamented widow. I don't think any feller could be much if he wasn't. Yuh see, pardner, he had _all the chance in the world_. _He_ didn't need to be jay-hawkin' round, makin' eyes at every red-cheeked biscuit-shooter that fed him hot cakes. _He_ had a nice ranch and a good wife. A feller that couldn't be grateful tuh a woman that's treated him as good as she has to-day, and hauled him clear from Willow Springs tuh git a Christian burial, and stood around fer him in a hot sun--well, he couldn't be no account _at all_!" Cassidy paused and spat. "That's the way _I_ look at it. And," thwarting the restive fireman by a startlingly painful grip on the fleshy part of his arm, "any feller that ain't got as good a wife--any feller that ain't got _any_, and lays round drinkin', and foolin' his money away on the 'double O,' and sittin' in tuh stud games with permiskus strangers, and gettin' ready tuh be a hobo--all I kin say is, he'd better brace up and try tuh deserve one. A feller that ain't got a wife is a no-account loafer and bum, and he ought tuh git kicked! _This_ man had one, but he went and left her. Even then he done better than _yuh_ done! That's all." "Kin I go now?" queried the fireman smartly. "Yuh kin!" responded Cassidy, malevolently, "but I'll see yuh later, young feller. I ain't overfond of yuh." And he turned away to cover the coffin with sand, digging it up laboriously and scattering it here and there with a piece of board. "That was a mighty nice talk yuh gave the fireman," remarked the woman, during an interval in their labors. "I feel a lot better now. Mebbe the fireman will get married now and brace up. Was he really doing all those things yuh said?" "Some feller was," answered Cassidy. "I heard about it."