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　like　church；　but　Brown　says　that　is　the　best　kind；　a　religion　for　every　day；　and　Jack；　too；　says　that　Brown　is　right；　but　he　won't　talk　much　about　it。

〃I　am　going　to　be　a　rancher。　　Jack　says　I　am　a　good　cattle　man　already。　　He　gave　me　a　pony　and　saddle　and　a　couple　of　heifers　for　myself；　that　I　saved　last　winter　out　of　a　snow…drift；　and　he　says　that　when　I　grow　a　little　bigger；　he　will　take　me　for　his　partner。　Of　course；　he　smiles　when　he　says　this；　but　I　think　he　means　it。　Would　not　that　be　splendid？　　I　do　not　care　to　be　a　partner；　but　just　to　live　with　Jack　always。　　He　makes　every　one　do　what　he　likes　because　they　love　him　and　they　are　afraid　of　him　too。　　Old　Mackenzie　would　let　him　walk　over　his　body。　　There　is　only　one　thing；　and　I　don't　like　to　speak　of　it；　and　I　would　not　to　any　one　else；　but　it　makes　me　sore　in　my　heart。　　When　Jack　and　Old　Mackenzie　go　to　the　Crossing；　they　bring　back　whiskey；　and　until　it　is　done　they　have　a　terrible　time。　　You　know；　I　don't　mind　seeing　the　Galicians　drink　whiskey　and　beer。　　I　drink　it　myself　now　and　then。　　But　Jack　and　old　Mackenzie　just　sit　down　and　drink　and　drink；　and　afterwards　I　know　Jack　feels　very　bad。　　Once　we　went　here　to　a　Galician　wedding；　and　you　know　what　that　means。　　They　all　got　drinking　whiskey　and　beer；　and　then　we　had　a　terrible　time。　The　whole　roomful　got　fighting。　　They　were　all　against　Jack　and　Mackenzie。　　The　Galicians　had　clubs　and　knives；　but　Jack　just　had　his　hands。　　It　was　fine　to　see　him　stand　up　and　knock　those　Galicians　back；　and　smiling　all　the　time。　　Mackenzie　had　a　hand…　spike。　　Of　course；　I　helped　a　little　with　a　club。　　I　thought　they　were　going　to　kill　Jack。　　We　got　away　alive；　but　Jack　was　badly　hurt；　and　for　a　week　afterwards　he　did　not　look　at　me。　　Mackenzie　said　he　was　ashamed；　but　I　don't　know　why。　　He　made　a　big　fight。　Mackenzie　says　he　did　not　like　to　fight　with　'them　dogs。'　　Brown　heard　all　about　it　and　came　to　see　Jack；　and　he　too　looked　ashamed　and　sorry。　　But　Brown　never　fights；　no　matter　what　they　do　to　him；　he　won't　fight；　and　he　is　a　strong　man；　too；　and　does　not　look　afraid。

〃Have　you　heard　any　word　at　all　of　father？　　I　sometimes　get　so　lonely　for　him　and　you。　　I　used　to　dream　I　was　back　with　you　again；　and　then　I　would　wake　up　and　find　myself　alone　and　far　away。　　It　will　not　be　so　long　now　till　I'm　a　man；　and　then　you　will　come　and　live　with　me。　　Oh！　I　cannot　write　fast　enough　to　put　down　the　words　to　say　how　glad　I　am　to　think　of　that。　　But　some　day　that　will　be。

〃I　send　my　love　to　Simon　Ketzel　and　Lena　and　Margaret；　and　you　tell　Mrs。　French　I　do　not　forget　that　I　owe　all　I　have　here　to　her。　Tell　her　I　wish　I　could　do　something　for　her。　　Nothing　would　be　too　hard。

〃I　kiss　this　paper　for　you；　my　dear　sister；　my　beloved　Irma。

〃Your　loving　and　faithful　brother；

〃KALMAN。〃


Proud　of　her　brother；　Irma　read　parts　of　her　letter　to　her　friend；　leaving　out；　with　a　quick　sense　of　what　was　fitting；　every　unhappy　reference　to　Jack　French；　but　the　little　lady　was　keen　of　ear　and　quick　of　instinct　where　Jack　French　was　concerned；　and　Irma's　pauses　left　a　deepening　shadow　upon　her　face。　　When　the　letter　was　done；　she　said：　　〃Is　it　not　good　to　hear　of　Kalman　doing　so　well？　Tell　him　he　can　do　something　for　me。　　He　can　grow　up　a　good　man；　and　he　can　help　Jack　to　be〃　　But　here　her　loyal　soul　held　her　back。　　〃No；　don't　say　that；〃　she　said；　〃just　tell　him　I　am　glad　to　know　he　is　going　to　be　a　good　man。　　There　is　nothing　I　want　more　for　those　I　love　than　that。　　Tell　him　too；〃　she　added；　〃that　I　would　like　him　and　Jack　to　help　Mr。　Brown　all　they　can；〃　and　this　message　Irma　wrote　to　Kalman　with　religious　care；　telling　him　too　how　sad　the　dear　sweet　face　had　grown　in　sending　the　message。

But　when　Mrs。　French　reached　her　home；　she　read　again　parts　out　of　the　letter　which　the　same　mail　had　brought　her　from　the　Night　Hawk　Ranch；　read　them　in　the　light　of　Kalman's　letter；　while　the　shadows　deepened　on　her　face。

〃He　is　a　strange　little　beggar；〃　she　read；　〃though；　by　Jove；　he　is　little　no　longer。　　He　is　somewhere　about　sixteen；　is　away　past　my　shoulder；　and　nearly　as　strong　as　I　am；　rides　like　a　cowboy；　and　is　as　good　after　the　cattle　as　I　am；　is　afraid　of　nothing；　and　dearly　loves　a　fight；　and；　I　regret　to　say；　he　gets　lots　of　it；　for　the　Galicians　are　always　after　him　for　their　feasts。　　He　is　a　great　singer；　you　know；　and　dances　much　too　well；　and　at　the　feasts；　as　I　suppose　you　know　quite　well；　there　are　always　fights。　　And　here　I　want　to　consult　you。　　I　very　nearly　sent　him　back　to　you　a　little　while　ago；　not　for　his　fault；　but；　I　regret　to　say；　for　mine。　　We　went　to　a　fool　show　among　the　Galicians；　and；　I　am　ashamed　to　say；　played　the　fool。　　There　was　the　deuce　of　a　row；　and　Mackenzie　and　I　were　in　a　tight　box；　for　a　dozen　or　so　of　our　Galician　friends　were　determined　upon　blood。　　They　got　some　of　mine　too；　for　they　were　using　their　knives；　and；　I　am　bound　to　say；　it　looked　rather　serious。　　At　this　juncture　that　young　beggar；　forgetting　all　my　good　training　in　the　manly　art；　and　reverting　to　his　Slavic　barbaric　methods　of　defence；　went　in　with　a　hand…spike；　yelling；　and；　I　regret　to　say；　cursing；　till　I　thought　he　had　gone　drunk　or　mad。　　Drunk；　he　was　not；　but　mad；well；　he　was　possessed　of　some　kind　of　demon　none　too　gentle　that　night。　　I　must　acknowledge　it　was　a　good　thing　for　us；　and　though　I　hate　to　think　of　the　whole　ghastly　business；　it　was　something　fine；　though；　to　see　him　raging　up　and　down　that　room；　taunting　them　for　cowards；　hurling　defiance；　and；　by　Jove；　looking　all　the　while　like　some　Greek　god　in　cowboy　outfit；　if　your　imagination　can　get　that。　　I　am　telling　you　the　whole　sickening　story；　because　I　must　treat　you　with　perfect　sincerity。　　I　assure　you　next　morning　I　was　sick　enough　of　myself　and　my　useless　life；　sick　enough　to　have　done　with　the　unhappy　and　disgraceful　farce　of　living；　but　for　your　sake　and　for　the　boy's　too；　I　couldn't　play　the　cad；　and　so　I　continue　to　live。

〃But　I　have　come　to　the　opinion　that　he　ought　not　to　stay　with　me。　As　I　said　before；　he　is　a　splendid　chap　in　many　ways；　but　I　am　afraid　in　these　surroundings　he　will　go　bad。　　He　is　clean　as　yet；　I　firmly　believe；　thank　God；　but　with　this　Colony　near　us　with　their　low　standard　of　morality；　and　to　be　quite　sincere；　in　the　care　of　such　a　man　as　I　am；　the　boy　stands　a　poor　chance。　　I　know　this　will　grieve　you；　but　it　is　best　to　be　honest。　　I　think　he　ought　to　go　to　you。　　I　must　refuse　responsibility　for　his　remaining　here。　　I　feel　like　a　beast　in　saying　this；　but　whatever　shred　of　honour　is　left　me　forces　me　to　say　it。〃

In　the　postscript　there　was　a　word　that　brought　not　a　little　hope　and　comfort。　　〃One　thing　in　addition。　　No　more　Galician　festivals　for　me。〃　　It　was　a　miserably　cruel　letter；　and　it　did　its　miserably　cruel　work　on　the　heart　of　the　little　white…faced　lady。　　She　laid　the　letter　down；　drew　from　a　box　upon　her　table　a　photo；　and　laid　it　before　her。　　It　was　of　two　young　men　in　football　garb；　in　all　the　glorious　pride　of　their　young　manhood。　　Long　she　gazed　upon　it　till　she　could　see　no　more；　and　then　went　to　pray。

It　took　Irma　some　days　of　thought　and　effort　to　prepare　the　answer　to　her　letter；　for　to　her；　as　to　Kalman；　English　had　become　easier　than　her　native　Russian。　　To　Jack　French　a　reply　went　by　return　mail。　　It　was　not　long；　but；　as　Jack　French　read；　the　easy　smile　vanished；　and　for　days　he　carried　in　his　face　the　signs　of　the　remorse　and　grief　that　gnawed　at　his　heart。　　Then　he　rode　alone　to　Wakota　to　take　counsel　with　his　friend　Brown。

As　he　read；　one　phrase　kept　repeating　itself　in　his　mind：　　〃The　responsibility　of　leaving　Kalman　with　you；　I　must　take。　　What　else　can　I　do？　　I　have　no　other　to　help　me。　　But　the　responsibility　for　what　you　make　him；　you　must　take。　　God　puts　it　on　you；　not　I。〃

〃The　responsibility　for　making　him　is　not　mine；〃　he　said　to　himself　impatiently。　　〃I　can　teach　him　a　lot　of　things；　but　I　can't　teach　him　morals。　　That　is　Brown's　business。　　He　is　a　preacher。　　If　he　can't　do　this；　what's　he　good　for？〃

And　so　he　argued　the　matter　with　himself　with　great　diligence；　and　even　with　considerable　heat　of　mind。　　He　made　no　pretence　to　goodness。　　He　was　no　saint；　nor　would　he　set　up　for　one。　　All　who　knew　him　knew　this；　and　none　better　than　Kalman。

〃I　may　not　be　a　saint；　but　I　am　no　hypocrite；　neither　will　I　play　the　part　for　any　one。〃　　In　this　thought　his　mind　took　eager　refuge；　and　he　turned　it　over　in　various　phrases　with　increasing　satisfaction。　　He　remembered　with　some　anxiety　that　Brown's　mental　processes　were　to　a　degree　lacking　in　subtlety。　　Brown　had　a　disconcertingly　simple　and　direct　method　of　dealing　with　the　most　complex　problems。　　If　a　thing　was　right；　it　was　right；　if　wrong；　it　was　wrong；　and　that　settled　the　matter　with　Brown。　　There　was　little　room　for　argument；　and　none　for　compromise。　　〃He　has　a　deucedly　awkward　conscience　too；〃　said　Jack　French；　〃and　it　is　apt　to　get　working　long　shifts。〃　　Would　he　show　his　sister…in…law's　letter？　　It　might　be　good　tactics；　but　that　last　page　would　not　help　him　much；　and　besides　he　shrank　from　introducing　her　name　into　the　argument。

As　he　approached　Wakota；　he　was　impatient　with　himself　that　he　was　so　keenly　conscious　of　the　need　of　arguments　to　suppor