He's goin' to croak.

He's sent back to Missouri for a niece--a young girl--an' he means to leave his ranches an' sheep--all his stock to her.

Seems he has no one else....
Them ranches--an' all them sheep an' hosses! You know me an' Al were pardners in sheep-raisin' for years.

He swore I cheated him an' he threw me out.

An' all these years I've been swearin' he did me dirt--owed me sheep an' money.