Oftentheyarepeople，who，incertainstagesofcivilization，do，orhavedone，goodwork，butwho，whenthesestageshavepassed，findthemselvessurroundedbyconditionswhichaccentuatetheirworstqualities，andmaketheirbestqualitiesuseless。Theaveragedesperado，forinstance，has，afterall，muchthesamestandardofmoralsthattheNormannobleshadinthedaysofthebattleofHastings，and，ethicallyandmorally，heisdecidedlyinadvanceofthevikings，whoweretheancestorsofthesesamenobles——andtowhom，bytheway，hehimselfcoulddoubtlesstraceaportionofhisblood。
Ifthetransitionfromthewildlawlessnessoflifeinthewildernessoronthebordertoahighercivilizationwerestretchedoutoveratermofcenturies，heandhisdescendantswoulddoubtlessaccommodatethemselvesbydegreestothechangingcircumstances。ButunfortunatelyinthefarWestthetransitiontakesplacewithmarvellousabruptness，andatanaltogetherunheard-ofspeed，andmanyaman’snatureisunabletochangewithsufficientrapiditytoallowhimtoharmonizewithhisenvironment。Inconsequence，unlessheleavesforstillwilderlands，heendsbygettinghunginsteadoffoundingafamilywhichwouldreverehisnameasthatofaverycapable，althoughnotinallrespectsaconventionallymoral，ancestor。
MostofthemenwithwhomIwasintimatelythrownduringmylifeonthefrontierandinthewildernessweregoodfellows，hard-working，brave，resolute，andtruthful。Attimes，ofcourse，theywereforcedofnecessitytododeedswhichwouldseemstartlingtodwellersincitiesandinoldsettledplaces；andthoughtheywagedaverysternandrelentlesswarfareuponevil-doerswhosemisdeedshadimmediateandtangiblebadresults，theyshowedawidetolerationofallsavethemostextremeclassesofwrong，andwerenotgiventoinquiringtoocuriouslyintoastrongman’spast，ortocriticizinghimover-harshlyforafailuretodiscriminateinfinerethicalquestions。Moreover，notafewofthemenwithwhomIcameincontact——withsomeofwhommyrelationswereverycloseandfriendly——hadatdifferenttimesledrathertoughcareers。Thisfactwasacceptedbythemandbytheircompanionsasafact，andnothingmore。Therewerecertainoffences，suchasrape，therobberyofafriend，ormurderundercircumstancesofcowardiceandtreachery，whichwereneverforgiven；butthefactthatwhenthecountrywaswildayoungfellowhadgoneontheroad——
thatis，becomeahighwayman，orhadbeenchiefofagangofdesperadoes，horse-thieves，andcattle-killers，wasscarcelyheldtoweighagainsthim，beingtreatedasaregrettable，butcertainlynotshameful，traitofyouth。HewasregardedbyhisneighborswiththesamekindlytolerancewhichrespectablemediaevalScotchborderersdoubtlessextendedtotheirwilderyoungmenwhowouldpersistinraidingEnglishcattleevenintimeofpeace。
Ofcourseifthesemenwereaskedoutrightastotheirstoriestheywouldhaverefusedtotellthemorelsewouldhaveliedaboutthem；