“You’ve never been to the Rocky Mountains?”
“No.”
“You’ve never been out on the plains?”
“No.”
“How long have you been in this country?”
“Only a few days.”
“You’ve never been in America before?”
“No.”
Then Barrow communed with himself. “Now what odd shapes the notions of romantic people take. Here’s a young fellow who’s read in England about cowboys and adventures on the plains. He comes here and buys a cowboy’s suit. Thinks he can play himself on folks for a cowboy, all inexperienced as he is. Now the minute he’s caught in this poor little game, he’s ashamed of it and ready to retire from it. It is that exchange that he has put up as an explanation. It’s rather thin, too thin altogether. Well, he’s young, never been anywhere, knows nothing about the world, sentimental, no doubt. Perhaps it was the natural thing for him to do, but it was a most singular choice, curious freak, altogether.”
Both men were busy with their thoughts for a time, then Tracy heaved a sigh and said,