"What blasphemy!" cried Jennie. "These 'noble pioneers!'"
"Founding a mighty State," added Curtis.
"Founding a state of anarchy!" retorted Lawson. "They never did have any regard for law, except a law that worked in their favor."
Parker got in a word. "Lawson, do you know what you are? You're what Norman Bass used to call 'a blame a-riss-to-crat.'" This provoked a laugh at Lawson's expense.
"I admit it," said Lawson, calmly. "I am interested in the cowboy and the miner—as wild animals—as much as any of you, but as founders of an empire! The hard and unlovely truth is, they are representatives of every worst form of American vice; they are ignorant, filthy, and cruel. Their value as couriers of the Christian army has never been great with me."
Maynard was unusually reflective as he stared at Lawson.
"That's mighty plain talk," he observed, in the pause that followed. "You couldn't run for office on speeches like that."
"Lawson's living doesn't depend on prevarication," remarked Curtis. "If it did—"
"If it did I'd lie like the best—I mean the worst of you," replied Lawson.
"In a few years there will not be an Indian left," Parker remarked.