He was thoroughly at ease now, and for an hour held them interested by his knowledge of the trails and the natural phenomena. He told them of cattle herding, its dangers and sports; and his description of a stampede was masterly. He recounted the struggles of the first settlers with the Indians, and even quite extensively covered the field of practical prospecting, lightening his story with naive bits of humor and witty personal opinions which had them laughing heartily. It was not long before they forgot that they were entertaining, or, rather, being entertained by an outlaw; and as for himself, it was the most pleasant evening he had ever known. There was such an air of friendliness and they were so natural and human that he was stimulated to his best efforts; the barriers had been broken down. "Oh, James says that you are a wonderful shot!" cried Helen, interrupting his description of a shooting match at a cowboy carnival he had once attended in a northern town. "He says that no man ever lived who could hope to beat you with either rifle or revolver, six-shooter, as he calls it. Won't you let me see you shoot, some day?" He laughed deprecatingly: "You ask the sheriff to shoot for you," he responded. "He can beat me, I'm sure." "No, he can't!" she cried impulsively, "because he said he couldn't. That was why he couldn't get you--" she stopped, horrified at what she had said. Then, determined to make the best of it, and knowing that excuses or apologies would make it worse, she hurriedly continued: "He says that you are so fair and square that he just will not take any advantage of you. He likes square people, and he isn't afraid to say it, either."