had dared to raise
his eyes to the one star in Daddy John's firmament. He would not have
hidden his dislike if he could. Leff was of the outer world to which
he relegated all men who showed fear or lied.

He turned to Susan:

"Go back in the wagon and lie down. Here comes Leff and I don't want
him to see you."

The young girl thought no better of Leff than he did. The thought of
being viewed in her abandonment by the despised youth made her scramble
into the back of the wagon where she lay concealed on a pile of sacks.
In the forward opening where the canvas was drawn in a circle round a
segment of sky, Daddy John's figure fitted like a picture in a circular
frame. As a step paused at the wheel she saw him lean forward and
heard his rough tones.

"Yes, she's here, asleep in the back of the wagon."

Then Leff's voice, surprised:

"Asleep? Why, it ain't an hour since we started."

"Well, can't she go to sleep in the morning if she wants? Don't you go
to sleep every Sunday under the wagon?"

"Yes, but that's afternoon."

"Mebbe, but everybody's not as slow as you at getting at what they
want."

This appeared to put Susan's retirement in a light that gave rise to
pondering. There was a pause, then came the young man's heavy
footsteps slouching back to his wagon. Daddy John settled down on the
seat.

"I'm almighty glad it weren't him, Missy," he said, over his shoulder.
"I'd 'a' known then why you cried."

CHAPTER V

Late the same day Leff, who had been riding on the bluffs, came down to
report a large train a few miles ahead of them. It was undoubtedly the
long-looked-for New York Company.

The news was as a tonic to their slackened energies. A cheering
excitement ran through the train. There was stir and loud talking.
Its contagion lifted Susan's spirits and with her father she rode on in
advance, straining her eyes against the glare of the glittering river.
Men and women, who daily crowded by them unnoted on city streets, now
loomed in the perspective as objective points of avid interest. No
party Susan had ever been to called forth such hopeful anticipation.
To see her fellows, to talk with women over trivial things, to demand
and give out the human sympathies she wanted and that had lain
withering within herself, drew her from the gloom under which she had
lain weeping in the back of Daddy John's wagon.

They were nearing the Forks of the Platte where the air was dryly
transpare