CHAPTER	O
I	O
.	O

The	O
Coming	EVENT
of	O
a	O
Native	O
Son	O
The	O
Happy	O
Family	O
,	O
waiting	EVENT
for	O
the	O
Sunday	O
supper	O
call	O
,	O
were	O
grouped	O
around	O
the	O
open	O
door	O
of	O
the	O
bunk-house	O
,	O
gossiping	EVENT
idly	O
of	O
things	O
purely	O
local	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
Old	O
Man	O
returned	EVENT
from	O
the	O
Stock	O
Association	O
at	O
Helena	O
;	O
beside	O
him	O
on	O
the	O
buggy	O
seat	O
sat	EVENT
a	O
stranger	O
.	O

The	O
Old	O
Man	O
pulled	EVENT
up	O
at	O
the	O
bunk-house	O
,	O
the	O
stranger	O
sprang	EVENT
out	O
over	O
the	O
wheel	O
with	O
the	O
agility	O
which	O
bespoke	O
youthful	O
muscles	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Old	O
Man	O
introduced	EVENT
him	O
with	O
a	O
quirk	O
of	O
the	O
lips	O
:	O
“	O
This	O
is	O
Mr.	O
Mig-u-ell	O
Rapponi	O
,	O
boys	O
--	O
a	O
peeler	O
straight	O
from	O
the	O
Golden	O
Gate	O
.	O

Throw	O
out	O
your	O
war-bag	O
and	O
make	O
yourself	O
to	O
home	O
,	O
Mig-u-ell	O
;	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
boys	O
'll	O
show	O
you	O
where	O
to	O
bed	O
down	O
.	O
”	O

The	O
Old	O
Man	O
drove	EVENT
on	O
to	O
the	O
house	O
with	O
his	O
own	O
luggage	O
,	O
and	O
Happy	O
Jack	O
followed	EVENT
to	O
take	O
charge	O
of	O
the	O
team	O
;	O
but	O
the	O
remainder	O
of	O
the	O
Happy	O
Family	O
unobtrusively	O
took	O
the	O
measure	EVENT
of	O
the	O
foreign	O
element	O
.	O

From	O
his	O
black-and-white	O
horsehair	O
hatband	O
,	O
with	O
tassels	O
that	O
swept	O
to	O
the	O
very	O
edge	O
of	O
his	O
gray	O
hatbrim	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
crimson	O
silk	O
neckerchief	O
draped	O
over	O
the	O
pale	O
blue	O
bosom	O
of	O
his	O
shirt	O
;	O
from	O
the	O
beautifully	O
stamped	O
leather	O
cuffs	O
,	O
down	O
to	O
the	O
exaggerated	O
height	O
of	O
his	O
tan	O
boot-heels	O
,	O
their	O
critical	O
eyes	O
swept	O
in	O
swift	O
,	O
appraising	O
glances	EVENT
;	O
and	O
unanimous	O
disapproval	EVENT
was	O
the	O
result	O
.	O

The	O
Happy	O
Family	O
had	O
themselves	O
an	O
eye	O
to	O
picturesque	O
garb	O
upon	O
occasion	O
,	O
but	O
this	O
passed	EVENT
even	O
Pink	O
's	O
love	O
of	O
display	O
.	O

“	O
He	O
's	O
some	O
gaudy	O
to	O
look	O
at	O
,	O
”	O
Irish	O
murmured	EVENT
under	O
his	O
breath	O
to	O
Cal	O
Emmett	O
.	O

“	O
All	O
he	O
lacks	O
is	O
a	O
spot-light	O
and	O
a	O
brass	O
band	O
,	O
”	O
Cal	O
returned	EVENT
,	O
in	O
much	O
the	O
same	O
tone	O
with	O
which	O
a	O
woman	O
remarks	O
upon	O
a	O
last	O
season	O
's	O
hat	O
on	O
the	O
head	O
of	O
a	O
rival	O
.	O

Miguel	O
was	O
not	O
embarrassed	O
by	O
the	O
inspection	EVENT
.	O

He	O
was	O
tall	O
,	O
straight	O
,	O
and	O
swarthily	O
handsome	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
stood	O
with	O
the	O
complacence	O
of	O
a	O
stage	O
favorite	O
waiting	O
for	O
the	O
applause	O
to	O
cease	O
so	O
that	O
he	O
might	O
speak	O
his	O
first	O
lines	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
while	O
he	O
waited	EVENT
,	O
he	O
sifted	EVENT
tobacco	O
into	O
a	O
cigarette	O
paper	O
daintily	O
,	O
with	O
his	O
little	O
finger	O
extended	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
a	O
ring	O
upon	O
that	O
finger	O
;	O
a	O
ring	O
with	O
a	O
moonstone	O
setting	O
as	O
large	O
and	O
round	O
as	O
the	O
eye	O
of	O
a	O
startled	O
cat	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Happy	O
Family	O
caught	EVENT
the	O
pale	O
gleam	O
of	O
it	O
and	O
drew	EVENT
a	O
long	O
breath	O
.	O

He	O
lighted	EVENT
a	O
match	O
nonchalantly	O
,	O
by	O
the	O
artfully	O
simple	O
method	O
of	O
pinching	EVENT
the	O
head	O
of	O
it	O
with	O
his	O
fingernails	O
,	O
leaned	EVENT
negligently	O
against	O
the	O
wall	O
of	O
the	O
bunk-house	O
,	O
and	O
regarded	EVENT
the	O
group	O
incuriously	O
while	O
he	O
smoked	EVENT
.	O

“	O
Any	O
pretty	O
girls	O
up	O
this	O
way	O
?	O
”	O
he	O
inquired	EVENT
languidly	O
,	O
after	O
a	O
moment	O
,	O
fanning	EVENT
a	O
thin	O
smoke-cloud	O
from	O
before	O
his	O
face	O
while	O
he	O
spoke	EVENT
.	O

The	O
Happy	O
Family	O
went	O
prickly	O
hot	EVENT
.	O

The	O
girls	O
in	O
that	O
neighborhood	O
were	O
held	O
in	O
esteem	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
was	O
that	O
in	O
his	O
tone	O
which	O
gave	O
offense	EVENT
.	O

“	O
Sure	O
,	O
there	O
's	O
pretty	O
girls	O
here	O
!	O
”	O

Big	O
Medicine	O
bellowed	EVENT
unexpectedly	O
,	O
close	O
beside	O
him	O
.	O

“	O
We	O
're	O
all	O
of	O
us	O
engaged	O
to	O
`	O
em	O
,	O
by	O
cripes	O
!	O
”	O

Miguel	O
shot	O
an	O
oblique	O
glance	EVENT
at	O
Big	O
Medicine	O
,	O
examined	EVENT
the	O
end	O
of	O
his	O
cigarette	O
,	O
and	O
gave	O
a	O
lift	EVENT
of	O
shoulder	O
,	O
which	O
might	O
mean	O
anything	O
or	O
nothing	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
was	O
irritating	EVENT
to	O
a	O
degree	O
.	O

He	O
did	O
not	O
pursue	O
the	O
subject	O
further	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
several	O
belated	O
retorts	O
were	O
left	O
tickling	EVENT
futilely	O
the	O
tongues	O
of	O
the	O
Happy	O
Family	O
--	O
which	O
does	O
not	O
make	O
for	O
amiability	O
.	O

To	O
a	O
man	O
they	O
liked	O
him	O
little	O
,	O
in	O
spite	O
of	O
their	O
easy	O
friendliness	O
with	O
mankind	O
in	O
general	O
.	O

At	O
supper	O
they	O
talked	EVENT
with	O
him	O
perfunctorily	O
,	O
and	O
covertly	O
sneered	EVENT
because	O
he	O
sprinkled	EVENT
his	O
food	O
liberally	O
with	O
cayenne	O
and	O
his	O
speech	O
with	O
Spanish	O
words	O
pronounced	EVENT
with	O
soft	O
,	O
slurred	EVENT
vowels	O
that	O
made	O
them	O
sound	O
unfamiliar	O
,	O
and	O
against	O
which	O
his	O
English	O
contrasted	O
sharply	O
with	O
its	O
crisp	O
,	O
American	O
enunciation	O
.	O

He	O
met	O
their	O
infrequent	O
glances	EVENT
with	O
the	O
cool	O
stare	EVENT
of	O
absolute	O
indifference	O
to	O
their	O
opinion	O
of	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
their	O
perfunctory	O
civility	EVENT
with	O
introspective	O
calm	O
.	O

The	O
next	O
morning	O
,	O
when	O
there	O
was	O
riding	O
to	O
be	O
done	O
,	O
and	O
Miguel	O
appeared	EVENT
at	O
the	O
last	O
moment	O
in	O
his	O
working	O
clothes	O
,	O
even	O
Weary	O
,	O
the	O
sunny-hearted	O
,	O
had	O
an	O
unmistakable	O
curl	EVENT
of	O
his	O
lip	O
after	O
the	O
first	O
glance	EVENT
.	O

Miguel	O
wore	O
the	O
hatband	O
,	O
the	O
crimson	O
kerchief	O
tied	O
loosely	O
with	O
the	O
point	O
draped	O
over	O
his	O
chest	O
,	O
the	O
stamped	O
leather	O
cuffs	O
and	O
the	O
tan	O
boots	O
with	O
the	O
highest	O
heels	O
ever	O
built	O
by	O
the	O
cobbler	O
craft	O
.	O

Also	O
,	O
the	O
lower	O
half	O
of	O
him	O
was	O
incased	O
in	O
chaps	O
the	O
like	O
of	O
which	O
had	O
never	O
before	O
been	O
brought	O
into	O
Flying	O
U	O
coulee	O
.	O

Black	O
Angora	O
chaps	O
they	O
were	O
;	O
long-haired	O
,	O
crinkly	O
to	O
the	O
very	O
hide	O
,	O
with	O
three	O
white	O
,	O
diamond-shaped	O
patches	O
running	O
down	O
each	O
leg	O
of	O
them	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
the	O
leather	O
waistband	O
stamped	O
elaborately	O
to	O
match	O
the	O
cuffs	O
.	O

The	O
bands	O
of	O
his	O
spurs	O
were	O
two	O
inches	O
wide	O
and	O
inlaid	O
to	O
the	O
edge	O
with	O
beaten	O
silver	O
,	O
and	O
each	O
concho	O
was	O
engraved	O
to	O
represent	O
a	O
large	O
,	O
wild	O
rose	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
golden	O
center	O
.	O

A	O
dollar	O
laid	O
upon	O
the	O
rowels	O
would	O
have	O
left	O
a	O
fringe	O
of	O
prongs	O
all	O
around	O
.	O

He	O
bent	EVENT
over	O
his	O
sacked	O
riding	O
outfit	O
,	O
and	O
undid	EVENT
it	O
,	O
revealing	EVENT
a	O
wonderful	O
saddle	O
of	O
stamped	O
leather	O
inlaid	O
on	O
skirt	O
and	O
cantle	O
with	O
more	O
beaten	O
silver	O
.	O

He	O
straightened	EVENT
the	O
skirts	O
,	O
carefully	O
ignoring	EVENT
the	O
glances	EVENT
thrown	O
in	O
his	O
direction	O
,	O
and	O
swore	EVENT
softly	O
to	O
himself	O
when	O
he	O
discovered	EVENT
where	O
the	O
leather	O
had	O
been	O
scratched	EVENT
through	O
the	O
canvas	O
wrappings	O
and	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
silver	O
scroll	O
ripped	EVENT
up	O
.	O

He	O
drew	EVENT
out	O
his	O
bridle	O
and	O
shook	EVENT
it	O
into	O
shape	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
silver	O
mountings	O
and	O
the	O
reins	O
of	O
braided	O
leather	O
with	O
horsehair	O
tassels	O
made	O
Happy	O
Jack	O
's	O
eyes	O
greedy	O
with	O
desire	O
.	O

His	O
blanket	O
was	O
a	O
scarlet	O
Navajo	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
rope	O
a	O
rawhide	O
lariat	O
.	O

Altogether	O
,	O
his	O
splendor	O
when	O
he	O
was	O
mounted	EVENT
so	O
disturbed	EVENT
the	O
fine	O
mental	O
poise	O
of	O
the	O
Happy	O
Family	O
that	O
they	O
left	EVENT
him	O
jingling	EVENT
richly	O
off	O
by	O
himself	O
,	O
while	O
they	O
rode	EVENT
closely	O
grouped	O
and	O
discussed	EVENT
him	O
acrimoniously	O
.	O

“	O
By	O
gosh	O
,	O
a	O
man	O
might	O
do	O
worse	O
than	O
locate	O
that	O
Native	O
Son	O
for	O
a	O
silver	O
mine	O
,	O
”	O
Cal	O
began	EVENT
,	O
eyeing	EVENT
the	O
interloper	O
scornfully	O
.	O

“	O
It	O
's	O
plumb	O
wicked	O
to	O
ride	O
around	O
with	O
all	O
that	O
wealth	O
and	O
fussy	O
stuff	O
.	O

He	O
must	O
'	O
a	O
'	O
robbed	O
a	O
bank	O
and	O
put	O
the	O
money	O
all	O
into	O
a	O
riding	O
outfit	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
By	O
golly	O
,	O
he	O
looks	O
to	O
me	O
like	O
a	O
pair	O
uh	O
trays	O
when	O
he	O
comes	O
bow-leggin	O
'	O
along	O
with	O
them	O
white	O
diamonds	O
on	O
his	O
legs	O
,	O
”	O
Slim	O
stated	EVENT
solemnly	O
.	O

“	O
And	O
I	O
'll	O
gamble	EVENT
that	O
's	O
a	O
spot	O
higher	O
than	O
he	O
stacks	O
up	O
in	O
the	O
cow	O
game	O
,	O
”	O
Pink	O
observed	EVENT
with	O
the	O
pessimism	O
which	O
matrimony	O
had	O
given	O
him	O
.	O

“	O
You	O
mind	O
him	O
asking	O
about	O
bad	O
horses	O
,	O
last	O
night	O
?	O

That	O
Lizzie-boy	O
never	O
saw	O
a	O
bad	O
horse	O
;	O
they	O
do	O
n't	O
grow	O
'em	O
where	O
he	O
come	O
from	O
.	O

What	O
they	O
do	O
n't	O
know	O
about	O
riding	O
they	O
make	O
up	O
for	O
with	O
a	O
swell	O
rig	O
--	O
”	O
“	O
And	O
,	O
oh	O
,	O
mamma	O
!	O

It	O
sure	O
is	O
a	O
swell	O
rig	O
!	O
”	O

Weary	O
paid	O
generous	O
tribute	EVENT
.	O

“	O
Only	O
I	O
will	O
say	O
old	O
Banjo	O
reminds	EVENT
me	O
of	O
an	O
Irish	O
cook	O
rigged	O
out	O
in	O
silk	O
and	O
diamonds	O
.	O

That	O
outfit	O
on	O
Glory	O
,	O
now	O
--	O
”	O
He	O
sighed	EVENT
enviously	O
.	O

“	O
Well	O
,	O
I	O
've	O
gone	O
up	O
against	O
a	O
few	O
real	O
ones	O
in	O
my	O
long	O
and	O
varied	O
career	O
,	O
”	O
Irish	O
remarked	EVENT
reminiscently	O
,	O
“	O
and	O
I	O
've	O
noticed	O
that	O
a	O
hoss	O
never	O
has	O
any	O
respect	O
or	O
admiration	O
for	O
a	O
swell	O
rig	O
.	O

When	O
he	O
gets	O
real	O
busy	O
it	O
ai	O
n't	O
the	O
silver	O
filigree	O
stuff	O
that	O
's	O
going	O
to	O
help	O
you	O
hold	O
connections	O
with	O
your	O
saddle	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
silver-mounted	O
bridle-bit	O
ai	O
n't	O
a	O
darned	O
bit	O
better	O
than	O
a	O
plain	O
one	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Just	O
take	O
a	O
look	O
at	O
him	O
!	O
”	O
cried	EVENT
Pink	O
,	O
with	O
intense	O
disgust	O
.	O

“	O
Ambling	EVENT
off	O
there	O
,	O
so	O
the	O
sun	O
can	O
strike	O
all	O
that	O
silver	O
and	O
bounce	O
back	O
in	O
our	O
eyes	O
.	O

And	O
that	O
braided	O
lariat	O
--	O
I	O
'd	O
sure	O
love	O
to	O
see	O
the	O
pieces	O
if	O
he	O
ever	O
tries	O
to	O
anchor	O
anything	O
bigger	O
than	O
a	O
yearling	O
!	O
”	O

“	O
Why	O
,	O
you	O
do	O
n't	O
think	O
for	O
a	O
minute	O
he	O
could	O
ever	O
get	O
out	O
and	O
rope	O
anything	O
,	O
do	O
yuh	O
?	O
”	O

Irish	O
laughed	EVENT
.	O

“	O
That	O
there	O
Native	O
Son	O
throws	O
on	O
a-w-l-together	O
too	O
much	O
dog	O
to	O
really	O
get	O
out	O
and	O
do	O
anything	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Aw	O
,	O
”	O
fleered	EVENT
Happy	O
Jack	O
,	O
“	O
he	O
ai	O
n't	O
any	O
Natiff	O
Son	O
.	O

He	O
's	O
a	O
dago	O
!	O
”	O

“	O
He	O
's	O
got	O
the	O
earmarks	O
uh	O
both	O
,	O
”	O
Big	O
Medicine	O
stated	EVENT
authoritatively	O
.	O

“	O
I	O
know	O
'em	O
,	O
by	O
cripes	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
know	O
their	O
ways	O
.	O
”	O

He	O
jerked	EVENT
his	O
thumb	O
toward	O
the	O
dazzling	O
Miguel	O
.	O

“	O
I	O
can	O
tell	O
yuh	O
the	O
kinda	O
cow-puncher	O
he	O
is	O
;	O
I	O
've	O
saw	O
'em	O
workin	O
'	O
at	O
it	O
.	O

Haw-haw-haw	O
!	O

They	O
'll	O
start	O
out	O
to	O
move	O
ten	O
or	O
a	O
dozen	O
head	O
uh	O
tame	O
old	O
cows	O
from	O
one	O
field	O
to	O
another	O
,	O
and	O
there	O
'll	O
be	O
six	O
or	O
eight	O
fellers	O
,	O
rigged	O
up	O
like	O
this	O
here	O
tray-spot	O
,	O
ridin	O
'	O
along	O
,	O
important	O
as	O
hell	O
,	O
drivin	O
'	O
them	O
few	O
cows	O
down	O
a	O
lane	O
,	O
with	O
peach	O
trees	O
on	O
both	O
sides	O
,	O
by	O
cripes	O
,	O
jingling	O
their	O
big	O
,	O
silver	O
spurs	O
,	O
all	O
wearin	O
'	O
fancy	O
chaps	O
to	O
ride	O
four	O
or	O
five	O
miles	O
down	O
the	O
road	O
.	O

Honest	O
to	O
grandma	O
,	O
they	O
call	O
that	O
punchin	O
'	O
cows	O
!	O

Oh	O
,	O
he	O
's	O
a	O
Native	O
Son	O
,	O
all	O
right	O
.	O

I	O
've	O
saw	O
lots	O
of	O
'em	O
,	O
only	O
I	O
never	O
saw	O
one	O
so	O
far	O
away	O
from	O
the	O
Promised	O
Land	O
before	O
.	O

That	O
there	O
looks	O
queer	O
to	O
me	O
.	O

Natiff	O
Sons	O
--	O
the	O
real	O
ones	O
,	O
like	O
him	O
--	O
are	O
as	O
scarce	O
outside	O
Calyforny	O
as	O
buffalo	O
are	O
right	O
here	O
in	O
this	O
coulee	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
That	O
's	O
the	O
way	O
they	O
do	O
it	O
,	O
all	O
right	O
,	O
”	O
Irish	O
agreed	EVENT
.	O

“	O
And	O
then	O
they	O
'll	O
have	O
a	O
'	O
rodeo	O
'	O
--	O
”	O
“	O
Haw-haw-haw	O
!	O
”	O

Big	O
Medicine	O
interrupted	EVENT
,	O
and	O
took	EVENT
up	O
the	O
tale	O
,	O
which	O
might	O
have	O
been	O
entitled	O
“	O
Some	O
Cowpunching	O
I	O
Have	O
Seen	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
They	O
have	O
them	O
rodeos	O
on	O
a	O
Sunday	O
,	O
mostly	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
invite	O
everybody	O
to	O
it	O
,	O
like	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
picnic	O
.	O

And	O
there	O
'll	O
be	O
two	O
or	O
three	O
fellers	O
to	O
every	O
calf	O
,	O
all	O
lit	O
up	O
,	O
like	O
Mig-u-ell	O
,	O
over	O
there	O
,	O
in	O
chaps	O
and	O
silver	O
fixin	O
's	O
,	O
fussin	O
'	O
around	O
on	O
horseback	O
in	O
a	O
corral	O
,	O
and	O
every	O
feller	O
trying	O
to	O
pile	O
his	O
rope	O
on	O
the	O
same	O
calf	O
,	O
by	O
cripes	O
!	O

They	O
stretch	O
'em	O
out	O
with	O
two	O
ropes	O
--	O
calves	O
,	O
remember	O
!	O

Little	O
,	O
weenty	O
fellers	O
you	O
could	O
pack	O
under	O
one	O
arm	O
!	O

Yuh	O
ca	O
n't	O
blame	O
'em	O
much	O
.	O

They	O
never	O
have	O
more	O
'n	O
thirty	O
or	O
forty	O
head	O
to	O
brand	O
at	O
a	O
time	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
never	O
git	O
more	O
'n	O
a	O
taste	O
uh	O
real	O
work	O
.	O

So	O
they	O
make	O
the	O
most	O
uh	O
what	O
they	O
git	O
,	O
and	O
go	O
in	O
heavy	O
on	O
fancy	O
outfits	O
.	O

And	O
this	O
here	O
silver-mounted	O
fellow	O
thinks	O
he	O
's	O
a	O
real	O
cowpuncher	O
,	O
by	O
cripes	O
!	O
”	O

The	O
Happy	O
Family	O
laughed	EVENT
at	O
the	O
idea	O
;	O
laughed	EVENT
so	O
loud	O
that	O
Miguel	O
left	EVENT
his	O
lonely	O
splendor	O
and	O
swung	EVENT
over	O
to	O
them	O
,	O
ostensibly	O
to	O
borrow	O
a	O
match	O
.	O

“	O
What	O
's	O
the	O
joke	EVENT
?	O
”	O
he	O
inquired	EVENT
languidly	O
,	O
his	O
chin	O
thrust	O
out	O
and	O
his	O
eyes	O
upon	O
the	O
match	O
blazing	EVENT
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
his	O
cigarette	O
.	O