und　the　camp。
  〃The　fifth　evening；　after　I　had　corralled　my　costly　but　uncongenial　　muttons；　I　walked　over　to　the　ranch…house　and　stepped　in　the　door。
  〃'Mr。　　Ogden；'　says　I；　'you　and　me　have　got　to　get　sociable。　　Sheep　　are　all　very　well　to　dot　the　landscape　and　furnish　eight…dollar　cotton　　suitings　for　man；　but　for　table…talk　and　fireside　companions　they　rank　　along　with　five…o'clock　teazers。　　If　you've　got　a　deck　of　cards；　or　a　　parcheesi　outfit；　or　a　game　of　authors；　get　'em　out；　and　let's　get　on　　a　mental　basis。　　I've　got　to　do　something　in　an　intellectual　line；　if　　it's　only　to　knock　somebody's　brains　out。'
  〃This　Henry　Ogden　was　a　peculiar　kind　of　ranchman。　　He　wore　finger…　rings　and　a　big　gold　watch　and　careful　neckties。　　And　his　face　was　　calm；　and　his　nose…spectacles　was　kept　very　shiny。　　I　saw　once；　in　　Muscogee；　an　outlaw　hung　for　murdering　six　men；　who　was　a　dead　ringer　　for　him。　　But　I　knew　a　preacher　in　Arkansas　that　you　would　have　taken　　to　be　his　brother。　　I　didn't　care　much　for　him　　either　way；　what　I　　wanted　was　some　fellowship　and　communion　with　holy　saints　or　lost　　sinnersanything　sheepless　would　do。
  〃'Well；　Saint　Clair；'　says　he；　laying　down　the　book　he　was　reading；　'I　　guess　it　must　be　pretty　lonesome　for　you　at　first。　　And　I　don't　deny　　that　it's　monotonous　for　me。　　Are　you　sure　you　corralled　your　sheep　so　　they　won't　stray　out　？
  〃'They're　shut　up　as　tight　as　the　jury　of　a　millionaire　murderer；'　　says　I。　　'And　I'll　be　back　with　them　long　before　they'll　need　their　　trained　nurse。'
  〃So　Ogden　digs　up　a　deck　of　cards；　and　we　play　casino。　　After　five　　days　and　nights　of　my　sheep…camp　it　was　like　a　toot　on　Broadway。　　When　　I　caught　big　casino　I　felt　as　excited　as　if　I　had　made　a　million　in　　Trinity。　　And　when　H。　　O。　　loosened　up　a　little　and　told　the　story　　about　the　lady　in　the　Pullman　car　I　laughed　for　five　minutes。
  〃That　showed　what　a　comparative　thing　life　is。　　A　man　may　see　so　much　　that　he'd　be　bored　to　turn　his　head　to　look　at　a　3；000；000　fire　or　　Joe　Weber　or　the　Adriatic　Sea。　　But　let　him　herd　sheep　for　a　spell；　　and　you'll　see　him　splitting　his　ribs　laughing　at　'Curfew　Shall　Not　　Ring　To…night；'　or　really　enjoying　himself　playing　cards　with　ladies。
  〃By…and…by　Ogden　gets　out　a　decanter　of　Bourbon；　and　then　there　is　a　　total　eclipse　of　sheep。
  〃'Do　you　remember　reading　in　the　papers；　about　a　month　ago；'　says　he；　　'about　a　train　hold…up　on　the　M。　　K。　　&　T。？　　The　express　agent　was　　shot　through　the　shoulder；　and　about　15；000　in　currency　taken。　　And　　it's　said　that　only　one　man　did　the　job。'
  〃'Seems　to　me　I　do；'　says　I。　　'But　such　things　happen　so　often　they　　don't　linger　long　in　the　human　Texas　mind。　　Did　they　overtake；　　overhaul；　seize；　or　lay　hands　upon　the　despoiler？'
  〃'He　escaped；'　says　Ogden。　　'And　I　was　just　reading　in　a　paper　to…day　　that　the　officers　have　tracked　him　down　into　this　part　of　the　country。　　　It　seems　the　bills　the　robber　got　were　all　the　first　issue　of　currency　　to　the　Second　National　Bank　of　Espinosa　City。　　And　so　they've　followed　　the　trail　where　they've　been　spent；　and　it　leads　this　way。'
  〃Ogden　pours　out　some　more　Bourbon；　and　shoves　me　the　bottle。
  〃'I　imagine；'　says　I；　after　ingurgitating　another　modicum　of　the　royal　　boose；　'that　it　wouldn't　be　at　all　a　disingenuous　idea　for　a　train　　robber　to　run　down　into　this　part　of　the　country　to　hide　for　a　spell。　　　A　sheep…ranch；　now；'　says　I；　would　be　the　finest　kind　of　a　place。　　　Who'd　ever　expect　to　find　such　a　desperate　character　among　these　song…　birds　and　muttons　and　wild　flowers？　　And；　by　the　way；'　says　I；　kind　of　　looking　H。　　Ogden　over；　'was　there　any　description　mentioned　of　this　　single…handed　terror？　　Was　his　lineaments　or　height　and　thickness　or　　teeth　fillings　or　style　of　habiliments　set　forth　in　print　？'
  〃'Why；　no；'　says　Ogden；　'they　say　nobody　got　a　good　sight　of　him　　because　he　wore　a　mask。　　But　they　know　it　was　a　train…robber　called　　Black　Bill；　because　he　always　works　alone　and　because　he　dropped　a　　handkerchief　in　the　express…car　that　had　his　name　on　it。'
  〃'All　right；'　says　I。　　'I　approve　of　Black　Bill's　retreat　to　the　　sheep…ranges。　　I　guess　they　won't　find　him。'
  〃'There's　one　thousand　dollars　reward　for　his　capture；'　says　Ogden。
  〃'I　don't　need　that　kind　of　money；'　says　I；　looking　Mr。　　Sheepman　　straight　in　the　eye。　　'The　twelve　dollars　a　month　you　pay　me　is　　enough。　　I　need　a　rest；　and　I　can　save　up　until　I　get　enough　to　pay　my　　fare　to　Texarkana；　where　my　widowed　mother　lives。　　If　Black　Bill；'　I　　goes　on；　looking　significantly　at　Ogden；　was　to　have　come　down　this　　waysay；　a　month　agoand　bought　a　little　sheep…ranch　and'
  〃'Stop；'　says　Ogden；　getting　out　of　his　chair　and　looking　pretty　　vicious。　　'Do　you　mean　to　insinuate'
  〃'Nothing；'　says　I；　'no　insinuations。　　I'm　stating　a　hypodermical　　case。　　I　say；　if　Black　Bill　had　come　down　here　and　bought　a　sheep…　ranch　and　hired　me　to　Little…Boy…Blue　'em　and　treated　me　square　and　　friendly；　as　you've　done；　he'd　never　have　anything　to　fear　from　me。　　A　　man　is　a　man；　regardless　of　any　complications　he　may　have　with　sheep　　or　railroad　trains。　　Now　you　know　where　I　stand。'
  〃Ogden　looks　black　as　camp…coffee　for　nine　seconds；　and　then　he　　laughs；　amused。
  〃'You'll　do；　Saint　Clair；'　says　he。　　'If　I　was　Black　Bill　I　wouldn't　　be　afraid　to　trust　you。　　Let's　have　a　game　or　two　of　seven…up　to…　night。　　That　is；　if　you　don't　mind　playing　with　a　train…robber。'
  〃'I've　told　you；'　says　I；　'my　oral　sentiments；　and　there's　no　strings　　to　'em。'
  〃While　I　was　shuffling　after　the　first　hand；　I　asks　Ogden；　as　if　the　　idea　was　a　kind　of　a　casualty；　where　he　was　from。
  〃'Oh；'　says　he；　'from　the　Mississippi　Valley。'
  〃'That's　a　nice　little　place；'　says　I。　　'I've　often　stopped　over　　there。　　But　didn't　you　find　the　sheets　a　little　damp　and　the　food　　poor？　Now；　I　hail；'　says　I；　'from　the　Pacific　Slope。　　Ever　put　up　　there？'
  〃'Too　draughty；'　says　Ogden。　　'But　if　you've　ever　in　the　Middle　West　　just　mention　my　name；　and　you'll　get　foot…warmers　and　dripped　coffee。'
  〃'Well；'　says　I；　'I　wasn't　exactly　fishing　for　your　private　telephone　　number　and　the　middle　name　of　your　aunt　that　carried　off　the　　Cumberland　Presbyterian　minister。　　It　don't　matter。　　I　just　want　you　　to　know　you　are　safe　in　the　hands　of　your　shepherd。　　Now；　don't　play　　hearts　on　spades；　and　don't　get　nervous。'
  〃'Still　harping；'　says　Ogden；　laughing　again。　　'Don't　you　suppose　that　　if　I　was　Black　Bill　and　thought　you　suspected　me；　I'd　put　a　Winchester　　bullet　into　you　and　stop　my　nervousness；　if　I　had　any？'
  〃'Not　any；'　says　I。　　'A　man　who's　got　the　nerve　to　hold　up　a　train　　single…handed　wouldn't　do　a　trick　like　that。　　I've　knocked　about　　enough　to　know　that　them　are　the　kind　of　men　who　put　a　value　on　a　　friend。　　Not　that　I　can　claim　being　a　friend　of　yours；　Mr。　　Ogden；'　　says　I；　'being　only　your　sheep…herder；　but　under　more　expeditious　　circumstances　we　might　have　been。'
  〃'Forget　the　sheep　temporarily；　I　beg；'　says　Ogden；　'and　cut　for　　deal。'
  〃About　four　days　afterward；　while　my　muttons　was　nooning　on　the　water…　hole　and　I　deep　in　the　interstices　of　making　a　pot　of　coffee；　up　rides　　softly　on　the　grass　a　mysterious　person　in　the　garb　of　the　being　he　　wished　to　represent。　　He　was　dressed　somewhere　between　a　Kansas　City　　detective；　Buffalo　Bill；　and　the　town　dog…catcher　of　Baton　Rouge。　　His　　chin　and　eye　wasn't　molded　on　fighting　lines；　so　I　knew　he　was　only　a　　scout。
  〃'Herdin'　sheep？'　he　asks　me。
  〃'Well；'　says　I；　'to　a　man　of　your　evident　gumptional　endowments；　I　　wouldn't　have　the　nerve　to　state　that　I　am　engaged　in　decorating　old　　bronzes　or　oiling　bicycle　sprockets。'
  〃'You　don't　talk　or　look　like　a　sheep…herder　to　me；'　says　he。
  〃'But　you　talk　like　what　you　look　like　to　me；'　says　I。
  〃And　then　he　asks　me　who　I　was　working　for；　and　I　shows　him　Rancho　　Chiquito；　two　miles　away；　in　the　shadow　of　a　low　hill；　and　he　tells　me　　he's　a　deputy　sheriff。
  〃'There's　a　train…robber　called　Black　Bill　supposed　to　be　somewhere　in　　these　parts；'　says　the　scout。　　'He's　been　traced　as　far　as　San　　Antonio；　and　maybe　farther。　　Have　you　seen　or　heard　of　any　strangers　　around　here　during　the　past　month？'
  〃'I　have　not；'　says　I；　'except　a　report　of　one　over　at　the　Mexican　　quarters　of　Loomis'　ranch；　on　the　Frio。'
  〃'What　do　you　know　about　him？'　asks　the　deputy。
  〃'He's　three　days　old；'　says　I。
  〃'What　kind　of　a　looking　man　is　the　man　you　work　for　？'　he　asks。　　　'Does　old　George　Ramey　own　this　place　yet？　　He's　run　sheep　here　for　　the　last　ten　years；　but　never　had　no　success。'
  〃'The　old　man　has　sold　out　and　gone　West；'　I　tells　him。　　'Another　　sheep…fancier　bought　him　out　about　a　month　ago。'
  〃'What　kind　of　a　looking　man　is　he　？'　asks　the　deputy　again。
  〃'Oh；'　says　I；　'　a　big；　fat　kind　of　a　Dutchman　with　long　whiskers　and　　blue　specs。　　I　don't　think　he　knows　a　sheep　from　a　ground…squirrel。　　I　　guess　old　George　soaked　him　pretty　well　on　the　deal；'　says　I。
  〃After　indulging　himself　in　a　lot　more　non…communicative　information　　and　two…thirds　of　my　dinner；　the　deputy　rides　away。
  〃That　night　I　mentions　the　matter　to　Ogden。　　〃'They're　drawing　the　　tendrils　of　the　octopus　around　Black　Bill；'　says　I。　　And　then　I　told　　him　about　the　deputy　sheriff；　and　how　I'd　described