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Banjo's arrival at a ranch usually resulted in a dance, for which he supplied the music, and received such compensation as the generosity of the host might fix. Banjo never quarreled over such matters. All he needed was enough to buy cigarettes and shirts. Banjo seldom played in company with any other musician, owing to certain limitations, which he raised to distinguishing virtues.
Banjo's indignation could not have been more pointed if he had been a lord of many herds himself. "There comes them blessed girls!" reported Mrs. Chadron from her station near the window. Banjo crossed over to see, his fiddle held to his bosom like an infant. Nola and Frances were nearing the gate. "That colonel girl she's a up-setter, ain't she?" Banjo admired.
There could be nothing more moving if not in one direction, then in another than the sentimental expression of Banjo's little sandy face as he sang: I know you were once my true-lov-o-o-o, But such a thing it has an aind; My love and my transpo'ts are ov-o-o-o, But you may still be my fraind-d-d.
On that occasion Banjo's wits had been mixed with liquor, but his sense of gratitude had been perfectly clear ever since. Macdonald's door was the only one in the nesters' colony that stress or friendship ever had constrained him to enter.
Banjo's little horse, eager for the fellowship of its kind as his master was for his own in his way, threw up its head and whinnied. Banjo churned it with his heels, slapped it on the side of the head, and shut off the shrill call in a grunt, but the signal had gone abroad.
Presently she heard them coming on again, evidently not entirely satisfied with Banjo's story. But the parley with him had delayed them; she had a good lead now. In a little swale, where the greasewood reached above her head, she stopped again to listen. She heard the troopers beating the bushes away off to one side, and knew that they soon would give it up.
As they waited at the gate to welcome the guests, who were cantering up with a curtain of dust behind them, they laughed over Banjo's compliment. "I knew there was something behind those eyes," said Frances. "No telling how long he's been saving it for a chance to work it off on somebody," Nola said.
She groped out, tears blinding her, until her hand found her young friend's, and then she clasped it, and stood holding it, no words between them. Twenty-four hours after Banjo's departure a messenger arrived at the ranchhouse. It was one of the cowboys attached to the ranch, and he came with his right arm in a sling.
Stop that fool shootin' around here, I tell you!" "Who are you?" came the answer. "Banjo, you darned fool! And I tell you right now, pardner, the first man that busts my fiddle with a bullet'll have to mix with me!" The soldiers came up laughing, and heard Banjo's explanation of the horse, still dimly heard, galloping off. Frances stopped to listen.
Frances took advantage of Banjo's trip to the reservation to send a note to her father apprising him of the tragedy at the ranch. Banjo buttoned it inside his coat, mounted his horse, and rode away. Mrs. Chadron watched him out of sight with lamentations. "I wish he'd 'a' stayed it 'd 'a' been all right with Saul; Saul didn't mean any harm by what he said.
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