What did you eat?
And did you get lost?"
"I ate red ants mor' 'n once, and I usually was lost. When I arrived at
that Mission down yonder the amount of flesh I had between my bones and
my skin wouldn't have filled a thimble. But that priest--he's a great
man if ever there was one--soon fixed me up. I lived like a prince for
a month, and I could be there yet if I liked, but I'd kinder got used to
livin' alone and I liked it, so I come here. Besides, I found so much
prayin' and bell ringin' wearin' on the nerves, to say nothin' of too
many Indians. I ain't got no earthly use for Indians. Why priests or
anybody else run after Indians beats me. Where I was brought up 't was
the other way. They're after us with a scalpin' knife, and if we're
after them at all it's with all the lead we kin git. If the murderin'
dirty beasts is willin' to stay where they belong, well, I for one
believe in lettin' 'em."
"Do you--ah--like the priest, Don Jim?"
"What? Well, that's better than 'Don Himy,' as they call me down there.
You bet I like the priest. He's a gentleman, and as square as they make
'em, that is, with a poor devil like me; I guess he's one too much for
your dons when he feels that way.
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