From the book's Foreword: When I came to Montana, which then was a territory with no railroads, reading matter of any kind was scarce. Where there's nothing to read, men must talk, so when they were gathered at ranches or stage stations, they amused themselves with tales of their own or others' adventures. Many became good story- tellers. I have tried to write some of these yarns as nearly as possible as they were told to me. C. M. RUSSELL, Great Falls, Montana.