That was before Jim was married, and a wild young buck he was too, as ever you see.

The next day wife and I rode along the Old Trail 'til we struck this gap, and here we've been ever since.
"We've had our ups and downs like most folks, sir, and sometimes it looked like they was mostly downs; but we got along, and last fall I bought in the ranch down there in the Hollow.

The boy was just eighteen and we thought then that he'd be makin' his home there some day.

I don't know how that'll be now, but there was another reason too why we wanted the place, as you'll see when I get to it.
"There was five other boys, as I told you last night.

The oldest two would have been men now.