He had had some experience with unscrupulous ranch managers, and he had admired them very little.

Therefore, during the ride today, his lips had curled sarcastically many times.
Riding through a wide clearing in the cottonwood, he spoke a thought that had troubled him not a little since he had entered Stafford's employ.
"Why," he said, as he rode along, sitting carelessly in the saddle, "he's wantin' to make a gunfighter out of me.

But I reckon I ain't goin' to shoot no man unless I'm pretty sure he's gunnin' for me." His lips curled ironically.

"I wonder what the boys of the Lazy J would think if they knowed that a guy was tryin' to make a gunfighter out of their old straw boss.

I reckon they'd think that guy was loco--or a heap mistaken in his man.