"And," said Loudon in conclusion, "I'm goin' south after the little hoss in two or three weeks." "Queet?" "Yep." "I queet, too. I go wit' you." "What for? No need o' you losin' yore job, too." "---- de job! I been here long tam--two, t'ree year. I wan' for move along un see w'at happen een de worl'. Een you' beesness, two gun ees better dan only wan. Are you me?" "Oh, I'm you all right enough. I'll be glad to have yuh with me, Telescope, but----" "Den dat ees settle'," interrupted Telescope, his eyes glittering in the glow of his cigarette. "Wen you go, I go, un togedder we weel geet de leetle hoss. Ah, my frien', eet ees de luck I have you to go wit'. I been knowin' for week now I mus' go soon." "Gettin' restless?" Telescope nodded, his eyes fixed on the far-away line of saw-toothed mountains black against the stars. When he spoke, his voice had altered. "Tom, de ole tam have come back to me, un w'en de old tam do dat I can not stay. I mus'---- My frien', have you evair love a woman?" "Once I did." "Den you weel understan'. Wan tam, fifteen year ago, I have woman. I have odder woman now un den--five, six mabbe, but dey was Enjun un breed. Dees woman she was not Enjun. She was Française, un we was marry un leeve over on de Sweetwatair Rivière near de Medicine Mountain. "Well, we was happy, she un me, un I was hunt de buffalo for Ole Man Rantoul. Rantoul she have de post dere on de Sweetwatair. Dere was odder men keel de buffalo for Rantoul, un wan of dese men she see my wife Marie w'en she go wit' me to de post. Dees man she yong man name' Taylor--Pony George dey call heem, 'cause she was all tam bust de pony. "Well, wan tam I go 'way two--t'ree week, mabbe. I come home een de afternoon. No leetle dog she play 'roun' de log-house. No smoke from de chimeny. No Marie she stan' at de door. "I go queeck to de house. Leetle dog lie dead in front de door. Door shut. I go een. I fin' Marie--I fin' Marie!" A wild, fierce note crept into the low monotone. "I fin' my Marie on de floor. She varree weak, but she can talk leetle. She tell me w'at happen. Two day before I geet back Pony George come to de log-house. Pony George she try for mak' de love to my wife. Marie she go for rifle. Pony George geet de rifle firs'. Dog try for bite heem. Pony George keeck de dog out un shoot heem. "My wife she grab de knife. She fight. But Pony George strong man. Get cut leetle, but not bad. He--he--well, I can do nothin' for my wife. Nex' day she die. "I ride to de post of Ole Man Rantoul. Pony George not dere. Rantoul say Pony George go 'way t'ree day before--not come back. I go after Pony George. I not fin' heem. I go sout' to de Nation. I go to Dakota. I go all de way from Canaday to de Rio Grande. Five year I heet de trail, but I never fin' Pony George.