His eyes stared across the little sun-filled valley.

They were half closed as though in study, as though perplexed by some deep and intricate problem.

They appeared to see beyond the sun-filled valley some place of greater moment, some place far distant.
Then the eyes smiled, and slowly, as though his neck were stiff, but still smiling, the stranger turned his head.

When he saw the boy, his smile was swept away in waves of surprise, amazement, and disbelief.
These were followed instantly by an expression of the most acute alarm.
"Don't point that thing at me!" shouted the stranger.

"Is it loaded ?" With his cheek pressed to the stock and his eye squinted down the length of the brown barrel, Jimmie nodded.