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I have your letter of the 8th inst, and am pleased to note that you liked the "Lonesome Trail". I am perfectly willing that you should put the blue brand on the shoulders of the critter.
I think I was more delighted with the "Second Edition" of your letter
than with the rest. I am glad to have you back me up, for then I feel certain
that you are honest with me. Nothing kills me off quicker than idle
flattery. I want to win fair — I'm smart enough for that; yet I do
want to win — and I'm sport enough for that too. I have ordered a car load
of asafetida, and shall endeavour to kill the scourge. We shall have a more
sanitary arrangement hereafter!
I think you will have some fairly good Indian tales within the near
future. As to the letter from the respectable Indian, I feel quite certain that
Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, sister of the late Inshta Theamba, Mrs. T. H. Tibbles,
and daughter of the last chief of the Omahas, will be glad to write you the sort of
letter that you desire.
It is generally conceded
You see, I ran a ten months series in the Overland Monthly several years ago. I feel that they were wasted on the desert air, because many of them were as good if not better than these you have seen. I think, however, that you will have some more worth while soon. I have been in a blue funk for several weeks. I dropped down to the city lately and wore that off, so I think I will begin tomorrow on "The War of the Rain Walker". It has been tumbling about in my head for some time.
Enough about Indians. I am sending "A Bundle of Myrrh". You were very kind to write as you did about it. My idea was to see where I "was at". The "Bundle" has been written more to please myself than anyone else — and I sometimes am a queer one. Still, I think that with the exception of a few pieces — the more "suggestive" ones — the thing has a little gold in it.
Whatever you may think of my "Bundle" you may feel quite certain that I feel much indebted to you for your kindness in the matter. I hope that I may yet hit my pace. When I