Reviews are not infrequently colored by a temporary elevation of the critic's mind (or a temporary depression of the critic's liver), advertisements are not invariably free from bias; so, perhaps, a few words of friendly warning will not be considered impertinent. Whosoever is squeamishly sensitive as to the formal technique of literary construction will save himself positive irritation by avoiding this book. It is a told, rather than a written story; and this is a compromise which defies Art and frankly turns to the more elastic methods of Nature.

I wasn't really a Westerner an' that's why I'm so different from most of 'em. Take your regular bonie fide Westerner an' when he dies he don't turn to dust, he turns to alkali; but when it comes my turn to settle, I'll jest natchely become the good rich soil o' the Indiana cornbelt. I was born in Indiana and I never left it till after I was ten years old. That's about the time boys generally start out to hunt Injuns; but I kept on goin' till I found mine-but I didn't kill him-nor him me neither, as far as that goes.