Poor Bruce! He had good impulses, a
generous heart, but the "Permit" nights and the hunts and the "roundups"
and the poker and all the wild excesses of the Company were more than he
could stand.
Then there were the two Hill brothers, the younger, Bertie, a
fair-haired, bright-faced youngster, none too able to look after
himself, but much inclined to follies of all degrees and sorts. But
he was warm-hearted and devoted to his big brother, Humphrey, called
"Hump," who had taken to ranching mainly with the idea of looking after
his younger brother. And no easy matter that was, for every one liked
the lad and in consequence helped him down.
In addition to these there were two others of the original seven, but by
force of circumstances they were prevented from any more than a nominal
connection with the Company. Blake, a typical wild Irishman, had joined
the police at the Fort, and Gifford had got married and, as Bill said,
"was roped tighter'n a steer."
The Noble Company, with the cowboys that helped on the range and two or
three farmers that lived nearer the Fort, composed the settlers of the
Swan Creek country. A strange medley of people of all ranks and nations,
but while among them there were the evil-hearted and evil-living, still,
for the Noble Company I will say that never have I fallen in with men
braver, truer, or of warmer heart.
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