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with a swell rig〃
〃And； oh； mamma！ It sure is a swell rig！〃 Weary paid generous
tribute。 〃Only I will say old Banjo reminds me of an Irish cook
rigged out in silk and diamonds。 That outfit on Glory； now〃 He
sighed enviously。
〃Well； I've gone up against a few real ones in my long and varied
career；〃 Irish remarked reminiscently； 〃and I've noticed that a
hoss never has any respect or admiration for a swell rig。 When he
gets real busy it ain't the silver filigree stuff that's going to
help you hold connections with your saddle； and a silver…mounted
bridle…bit ain't a darned bit better than a plain one。〃
〃Just take a look at him！〃 cried Pink； with intense disgust。
〃Ambling off there； so the sun can strike all that silver and
bounce back in our eyes。 And that braided lariatI'd sure love
to see the pieces if he ever tries to anchor anything bigger than
a yearling！〃
〃Why； you don't think for a minute he could ever get out and rope
anything； do yuh ？〃 Irish laughed。 〃That there Native Son throws
on a…w…l…together too much dog to really get out and do
anything。〃
〃Aw；〃 fleered Happy Jack； 〃he ain't any Natiff Son。 He's a dago！〃
〃He's got the earmarks uh both；〃 Big Medicine stated
authoritatively。 〃I know 'em； by cripes； and I know their ways。〃
He jerked his thumb toward the dazzling Miguel。 〃I can tell yuh
the kinda cow…puncher he is； I've saw 'em workin' at it。 Haw…haw…
haw！ They'll start out to move ten or a dozen head uh tame old
cows from one field to another； and there'll be six or eight
fellers； rigged up like this here tray…spot； ridin' along；
important as hell； drivin' them few cows down a lane； with peach
trees on both sides； by cripes； jingling their big； silver spurs；
all wearin' fancy chaps to ride four or five miles down the road。
Honest to grandma； they call that punchin' cows！ Oh； he's a
Native Son； all right。 I've saw lots of 'em； only I never saw one
so far away from the Promised Land before。 That there looks queer
to me。 Natiff Sonsthe real ones； like himare as scarce
outside Calyforny as buffalo are right here in this coulee。〃
〃That's the way they do it； all right；〃 Irish agreed。 〃And then
they'll have a 'rodeo'〃
〃Haw…haw…haw！〃 Big Medicine interrupted； and took up the tale；
which might have been entitled 〃Some Cowpunching I Have Seen。〃
〃They have them rodeos on a Sunday； mostly； and they invite
everybody to it； like it was a picnic。 And there'll be two or
three fellers to every calf； all lit up； like Mig…u…ell； over
there； in chaps and silver fixin's； fussin' around on horseback
in a corral； and every feller trying to pile his rope on the same
calf； by cripes！ They stretch 'em out with two ropescalves；
remember！ Little； weenty fellers you could pack under one arm！
Yuh can't blame 'em much。 They never have more'n thirty or forty
head to brand at a time； and they never git more'n a taste uh
real work。 So they make the most uh what they git； and go in
heavy on fancy outfits。 And this here silver…mounted fellow
thinks he's a real cowpuncher； by cripes！〃
The Happy Family laughed at the idea； laughed so loud that Miguel
left his lonely splendor and swung over to them； ostensibly to
borrow a match。
〃What's the joke？〃 he inquired languidly； his chin thrust out and
his eyes upon the match blazing at the end of his cigarette。
The Happy Family hesitated and glanced at one another。 Then Cal
spoke truthfully。
〃You're it；〃 he said bluntly； with a secret desire to test the
temper of this dark…skinned son of the West。
Miguel darted one of his swift glances at Cal； blew out his match
and threw it away。
〃Oh； how funny。 Ha…ha。〃 His voice was soft and absolutely
expressionless； his face blank of any emotion whatever。 He merely
spoke the words as a machine might have done。
If he had been one of them； the Happy Family would have laughed
at the whimsical humor of it。 As it was； they repressed the
impulse； though Weary warmed toward him slightly。
〃Don't you believe anything this innocent…eyed gazabo tells you；
Mr。 Rapponi；〃 he warned amiably。 〃He's known to be a liar。〃
〃That's funny； too。 Ha…ha some more。〃 Miguel permitted a thin
ribbon of smoke to slide from between his lips； and gazed off to
the crinkled line of hills。
〃Sure； it isnow you mention it；〃 Weary agreed after a
perceptible pause。
〃How fortunate that I brought the humor to your attention；〃
drawled Miguel； in the same expressionless tone； much as if he
were reciting a text。
〃Virtue is its own penalty；〃 paraphrased Pink； not stopping to
see whether the statement applied to the subject。
〃Haw…haw…haw！〃 roared Big Medicine； quite as irrelevantly。
〃He…he…he；〃 supplemented the silver…trimmed one。
Big Medicine stopped laughing suddenly； reined his horse close to
the other； and stared at him challengingly； with his pale；
protruding eyes； while the Happy Family glanced meaningly at one
another。 Big Medicine was quite as unsafe as he looked； at that
moment； and they wondered if the offender realized his precarious
situation。
Miguel smoked with the infinite leisure which is a fine art when
it is not born of genuine abstraction； and none could decide
whether he was aware of the unfriendly proximity of Big Medicine。
Weary was just on the point of saying something to relieve the
tension； when Miguel blew the ash gently from his cigarette and
spoke lazily。
〃Parrots are so common； out on the Coast； that they use them in
cheap restaurants for stew。 I've often heard them gabbling
together in the kettle。〃
The statement was so ambiguous that the Happy Family glanced at
him doubtfully。 Big Medicine's stare became more curious than
hostile； and he permitted his horse to lag a length。 It is
difficult to fight absolute passivity。 Then Slim； who ever
tramped solidly over the flowers of sarcasm； blurted one of his
unexpected retorts。
〃I was just wonderin'； by golly； where yuh learnt to talk！〃
Miguel turned his velvet eyes sleepily toward the speaker。 〃From
the boarders who ate those parrots； amigo；〃 he smiled serenely。
At this； Slimonce justly accused by Irish of being a
〃single…shot〃 when it came to reparteeturned purple and dumb。
The Happy Family； forswearing loyalty in their enjoyment of his
discomfiture； grinned and left to Miguel the barren triumph of
the last word。
He did not gain in popularity as the days passed。 They tilted
noses at his beautiful riding gear； and would have died rather
than speak of it in his presence。 They never gossiped with him of
horses or men or the lands he knew。 They were ready to snub him
at a moment's noticeand it did not lessen their dislike of him
that he failed to yield them an opportunity。 It is to be hoped
that he found his thoughts sufficient entertainment； since he was
left to them as much as is humanly possible when half a dozen men
eat and sleep and work together。 It annoyed them exceedin