e in
the dust.

"I just like being out of doors," she said carelessly. "And it's all
the more odd as I was always wanting to hurry on and catch up the large
train."

This was a grinding in of the heel. The large train into which the
Gillespies were to be absorbed and an end brought to their independent
journeying, had at first loomed gloomily before David's vision. But of
late it had faded from the conversation and his mind. The present was
so good it must continue, and he had come to accept that first bright
dream of his in which he and Susan were to go riding side by side
across the continent as a permanent reality. His timidity was swept
away in a rush of stronger feeling and he sat erect, looking sharply at
her:

"I thought you'd given up the idea of joining with that train?"

Susan raised the eyebrows of mild surprise:

"Why did you think that?"

"You've not spoken of it for days."

"That doesn't prove anything. There are lots of important things I
don't speak of."

"You ought to have spoken of that."

The virile note of authority was faint in his words, the first time
Susan had ever heard it. Her foot was in a fair way to be withdrawn
from the slave's neck. The color in her cheeks deepened and it was she
who now dropped her eyes.

"We had arranged to join the train long before we left Rochester," she
answered. "Everybody said it was dangerous to travel in a small party.
Dr. Whitman told my father that."

"There's been nothing dangerous so far."

"No, it's later when we get into the country of the Sioux and the
Black-feet. They often attack small parties. It's a great risk that
people oughtn't to run. They told us that in Independence, too."

He made no answer and she eyed him with stealthy curiosity. He was
looking on the ground, his depression apparent. At this evidence of
her ability to bring joy or sorrow to her slave she relented.

"You'll join it, too, won't you?" she said gently.

"I don't know. The big trains move so slowly."

"Oh, you must. It would be dreadfully dreary to separate our parties
after we'd traveled so long together."

"Maybe I will. I haven't thought about it."

"But you _must_ think about it. There's no knowing now when we may
come upon them--almost any day. You don't want to go on and leave us
behind, do you?"

He again made no answer and she stole another quick look at him. This
mastery of a fellow creature was by far the most engrossing pasti