Answer:
C. Loyalty to duty.
Explanation:
O Henry's short story "Jimmy Hayes and Muriel" tells the story of James Hayes who had recently been sent to the Texas border rangers to guard against gangs/ cattle thieves. He brought his companion Muriel, a horned frog at the station as a means of making friends and keeping company.
Muriel acts as the ice breaker in his friendships, breaking any uncomfortable situations. And along the way, Jimmy was able to make friends with the other rangers despite him being a lonely character. But the cowboy rangers still think of him as a coward, "a cow-puncher", he showed his courage and dedication to his work by killing the very gang that attacked their station. He showed the theme of loyalty to duty despite danger by going after Sebastiano Saldar and sacrificing his life while killing them.
