She runs from Canady to Mexico, and from the corn belt to the Pacific Ocean, mighty near takes in Jackson's Hole, and a lot uh country I know." He parted his mustache and spat carefully into the sand.

"I'm willin' to tie to a man, specially a young feller, that can play the game the way you been playin' it, Bud.

Most always," he complained vaguely, "they carry their brand too damn main.

They either pull their hats down past their eyebrows and give everybody the bad eye, or else they're too damn ready to lie about themselves.

You throw in with the boys just fine--but you ain't told a one of 'em where you come from, ner why, ner nothin'." "I'm here because I'm here," Bud chanted softly, his eyes stubborn even while he smiled at Dirk.
"I know--yuh sung that the first night yuh come, and yuh looked straight at the boss all the while you was singin' it," Dirk interrupted, and laughed slyly.