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 neither deal, tend bar, cook, nor carpenter, there was no place for him in the activities of the town. Even the lawyers and doctors wore boots like regular men.

"I was thinkin' I might get something to do around the cattle ranches, sir."

"Huh! Did you ever see a horse?"

"Yes, sir; I've seen 'em, sir."

"Well, was you ever on one?"

"I've had some little ex-perience around 'em, sir."

"In a livery barn, I reckon." Uncle Boley was at no pains to conceal his contempt.

"I was raised up on a cattle ranch, sir," Texas said gravely, rather loftily, "and I can ride a horse and throw a rope with any man between Taixas and Montana, sir. If it's the shoes—"

"Well, it was the shoes!" Uncle Boley smote the one on his knee a disdainful blow. "No man that ever rode after cattle ain't got no right to lower hisself down to shoes!"

"A man can't always choose what he'll put on his feet, sir, any more than he can select the road they're to follow."

Uncle Boley sat a little while, his eyes on the unfinished heel. When he spoke it was with a new note of respect, a gentleness and softness more becoming to the wisdom of his years.