Summary

John H listens to jazz as he prepares to leave for a job he has at a Basque friend's ranch. He's out of cash and food and he doesn't have many bullets. He's had the mare he rides for six years. He stole it, saving it from the slaughter house.

On the way to the ranch he hunts in order to eat and arrives at the ranch's kitchen by noon the next day. Once there he shaves and talks to his friend's wife who is cooking. When the rest of the men arrive, he eats. That evening he talks to his friend over a whisky. His mare shows signs of missing John H and the conversation turns to wives. His friends says that his wife can fix him up with a Basque girl, but John H says that he has already tried that.

The...